Swimming to the Light
by Natsgirl
Summary: What happens after DEA? Follow Eric & Sookie as they find each other again Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringe
1. Chapter 1 - Glimmer

**Chapter 1 - Glimmer**

I don't really know how I ended up in this place. I woke up one day and I was in a room not my own. There was a nurse sitting in the corner chair, reading. I was hooked up to an IV and my wrist was strapped to the bed. There was a hose snaked up my nose and there were machines softly beeping nearby. I must have made a sound because the nurse in the corner looked up. She closed her book so fast it fell from her hands and hit the floor at her feet.

"Oh, you're awake. I'll get the doctor." And she had left with a swoosh of crepe soled shoes. The room was softly lit and didn't seem like a hospital room exactly. There was a door. There was a curtain that hung from a pole suspended from the ceiling. There was a glass wall. I could see a hall and machines in the hall but it took too much to focus on that. My eyes felt heavy and my arms hurt. It was hard to keep focused and my head wanted to roll back into the pillow. My eyes closed. I was so tired. I was on my side. I curled into myself. Maybe I'd just sleep again.

There was something digging at my shoulder. It stopped. Then it started again. Poke. Push. Jiggle. Poke. Push. Jiggle. My head was lolling just a little with every push. My eyelids felt like weights were holding them down. But I pried them open and tried to focus on the source.

"Girl? You still alive?"

My eyes pulled open again. I thought I saw Dr. Ludwig. The nurse I saw earlier was standing behind her. I found myself staring at the nurse. I wondered if she was just a dream. She was tall and something other. Her skin was coffee colored and she had funny freckles all over her. Her hair looked like some kind of animal fur. I was too tired to really see her eyes, but she reminded me of Bellenos the elf. I wondered if he was still happy and living in Fairy with my great grandfather. I wondered if he hunted deer and ripped them to pieces with sharp shark teeth in the woods of Faery. I noticed the nurse's skin and freckles made a nice contrast with her pink uniform. She had some fashion sense, that nurse.

Then I noticed how she made Doctor Ludwig look like a demented dwarf just by standing next to each other. I found myself giggling, but no noise was coming out. I wondered if I was drunk. Maybe I was hallucinating. I blinked a few times to focus my eyes. No good. I felt my eyes roll and my eyelids pull down toward my feet. I wanted to float and float and not be pulled back to this place.

Poke. Push. Jiggle. "Girl! Do you hear me?" I jerked my chin a little to show I heard her. I tried to roll my head to get away from the grating voice. It didn't work.

"Where?" My voice didn't want to work. The sound of my single word echoed oddly in my ears. My throat was scratchy and hurt. I blinked and closed my eyes. I licked my lips and tried to get some moisture into my throat by swallowing. There was a straw at my mouth and I sipped a little water. When my eyes opened again, the nurse's back was to me. She was putting a cup on the far table. It seemed odd that the lines around her were suddenly in sharp focus.

The doctor's face came back, very close to mine. Her eyes looked bugged behind her glasses. I started my noise-less laughing again. But I stopped when she poked my eyelid with her finger and pulled it up. She was shining a light in my eye and I wanted to get away. But I couldn't find the strength to pull away. Then the light was gone and the finger was out of my eye.

Ludwig's face retreated a bit. She had a look on her face like I was some odd thing that needed to be classified and put in a jar. I felt poking again. And I could feel a wave of cold as the blanket pulled back from me. My hand was lifted. A pinchy thing was placed on my pointer finger. Then the edge of my panties was rolled back and there were fingers pushing on my groin right where my leg and lady parts joined up. The fingers stayed there a long time. Doctor Ludwig was telling the nurse numbers. The nurse was writing them down. Then the fingers were gone and the blanket was back. I made my voice work again.

"Where?"

"You are in a safe place. But you should be dead. Do you remember being found? Do you remember coming here?" Ludwig again. She pulled a chair next to my bed and took my wrist in an impersonal way. She took the pinchy thing off, but kept pressing my fingernails. Maybe she was going to rip them off. I remembered when Thing One and Thing Two did that. I tried to pull my hand away. I thought my heart would burst and I couldn't catch my breath.

Ludwig released my hand. She was looking at me again with her pushy, goggle-eyed stare. "Do you remember anything, Sookie?"

I tried to shake my head, but my neck hurt too much. "No." Speaking hurt. I was suddenly very tired and I closed my eyes.

I heard Dr Ludwig talking as I drifted back to sleep. She was telling someone that I was lucky. From where I sat, it didn't feel lucky at all.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Pam played with the pearls around her neck. There was something satisfying about the feel of pearls, she thought; a hard but silky texture. But when you brushed them against your teeth you felt all the grit and imperfections. Like life.

When she had been appointed as Sheriff she had not appreciated the incredible amount of bullshit that would accompany the job. Of course there were some benefits. The increase in income that was Pam's percentage of area profits had been gratifying. And the vampires who had been loyal to Eric had transferred that loyalty to her. Of course, Eric had always been the exception to the rule, and his willingness to include her in all aspects of his job had made the difference. Pam has been able to step into the official duties without skipping a beat. There had been no dip in revenues. Business had simply moved on and continued to improve.

There had been some 'personnel' issues in the beginning. A couple of the newer vampires, particularly some of the newer transfers from Nevada, had felt it important to voice their concerns. But that hadn't lasted past the first serious sign of disrespect. Pam smiled, thinking of the look on the idiot's face. He had walked into her office at Fangtasia and refused to bow. Then he had called her the Viking's lackey and lacking in strength. He had lost an arm before his churlish words were finished. And Pam had been back behind her desk, her sweater set immaculate.

Thalia had been sitting on the couch that night. The small but fierce vampire's reputation as a fierce fighter and general bad ass had grown since Eric's departure. The blog site dedicated to her surly face and overall temperamental demeanor was alive and well. There was a substantial money reward for anyone who could catch her smiling. Damn – everyone loved a snarly bitch, and by that measure, Thalia was everybody's darling. Too bad they hadn't been in the office. Thalia was so tickled with the way Pam handled the upstart she laughed out loud.

When Pam had been appointed sheriff she had immediately approached Thalia with the express purpose of appointing her as Pam's second in command. But Thalia had refused before she could even ask. Pam had Thalia's loyalty, but the ability to say no was too important to Thalia to tie herself with any one kingdom or ruler.

Thalia stayed and fought because Thalia wanted to stay and fight. And that suited them both.

After the arm amputation everything calmed down.

Fangtasia was doing well again. Vampire's Kiss, the only serious competition in the area, had not long survived Victor's demise.

Pam smiled at the memory of Sookie Stackhouse telling off Felipe. Felipe was Pam's monarch, and the author of their current circumstances. But Pam didn't like him – never had. She remembered Sookie standing in front of the King in Eric's house and laying out what a money pit Vampire's Kiss had become. Pam had admired her before for her foolish bravery. It was on this occasion that she came to appreciate the blond woman's brains as well.

Of course, opening Vampire's Kiss hadn't been about making money. Victor Madden had been appointed regent of Louisiana by Felipe. Victor had felt he deserved to be appointed King in his own right. Instead of looking at his own untrustworthiness, Victor had decided that Eric and his retinue were somehow to blame. Victor had made a series of poor choices, not the least of which was opening two venues to directly compete with Eric's interests. In the end, Victor had paid the ultimate price. Pam smiled at the memory of the battle that had ended Victor and his entourage. She wondered what would be said if the walls of Fangtasia would speak. For herself, she would do it all over again.

Frankly, everything Victor touched had turned to shit, including his restaurant and club ventures. The premise of Vampire's Kiss – Goth sex club – was interesting once. But it was like every other scary ride you ever took. Once you knew where the dips and turns were located, it lost its shock appeal. The customers came to gawk and comment, but the real spenders didn't return. Felipe announced that the club would close its doors one year after Eric had left for Oklahoma. Pam didn't think the timing was coincidental.

Pam used the final weeks of Vampire's Kiss' financial death throes to close and remodel Fangtasia. The walls were now sleek grays and blacks. There were accents of red and blue neon. Seating was low, comfortable and elegant. The dance floor and stage area had professional lighting and the power grid had been updated to allow all the latest computer-generated effects and tools to be available.

There was a karaoke night. There were theme parties at particular times of year.

And it was known that there were special Black Tie events that were invitation only. Pam had used her contacts internationally to create an ambience that left the public wanting to earn the privilege of attending. Savvy marketing and continuous pruning of the attendee list had built a mystique that maintained the draw of the events. Invitations were jealously guarded and highly sought. If you were caught selling your invitation, or giving it to someone, you would be banned forever. Who would think that Shreveport would attract A-list celebrities? But if there was one thing Pam knew, it was how to market.

Pam had made one change in her early days. She had made Maxwell Lee a partner in Fangtasia.

Eric had shown a grudging tolerance for the quiet, conservative Lee. But Eric's own prodigious financial skills combined with his personal flair had prevented Eric from ever viewing Lee with more than a tolerant regard. It's not that Eric disliked the younger vampire. Far from it. But they had been too different on a personal level and Eric had never seriously considered bringing Lee into his inner circle.

Pam had no such reservations. Pam knew things about herself. She knew her primary focus and talent lay in seeing the big picture and creating an appearance. But she also knew that her lack of attention to detail could run her into trouble.

And detail what where Maxwell Lee excelled. He watched the infrastructure of both her Area and her businesses. He policed balance sheets like a hawk. He excelled at paperwork, reports and finding talent to fill administrative holes. He could use the right words and logic to help her keep her grand business schemes practical and her ledgers in the black.

They were a formidable pair. Not quite the style of Eric Northman, but her Area was more than holding its own.

Pam wondered, not for the first time, if Eric was aware of the changes she had made. She wondered if he was proud of her.

With Maxwell's financial acumen, the cache of the club as the premier spot for vampire life was being written up in human mainstream magazines. The club was discussed and spotlighted by television media and had recently been mentioned as the venue for a Superbowl after-party on Entertainment Tonight. It had appeared as one of the top ten nightclubs in the United States in several airline magazines.

Merchandising was the other area that had proven an amazing revenue source. Their on-line store did brisk business. Everything from shot glasses to custom Halloween costumes, Fangtasia brand was shipping internationally. While mainstreaming was going strong, there was still something about vampire that attracted humans. And that suited Pam and Maxwell just fine.

Pam flicked the keys on her laptop. The Fall Fashion weeks were coming up. Paris or New York? Always such a hard decision! Pam thought to a time when she would have attended all the shows. That was when Eric was sheriff and her role was indulged and indulging child.

And as she looked at her invitations to runway shows, she felt the sharp pain that was the absence of her maker. She missed torturing Eric with endless reports on trends and fashionista gossip. She missed teasing him with threats to buy entire collections. She missed betting with him, and the way that they'd prank each other. She missed the way they would plot and plan and his smirk when he came up with something particularly crafty or cunning.

It had been years since Pam had had a personal conversation with Eric. The last time they had any close contact had been been the night he left for Oklahoma. It was the night he closed their bond, cutting her off from him in a way that he had never done in past. Even when he had released her so many years ago, he had left the bond open. She remembered how stunned she had been those first days. She had retreated to her home. She had wondered if she would ever truly recover. The ache had never ended, but over time she had come to terms with it.

She saw Eric now from time to time at official functions. They were in different clans – she was in Amun and he was in Zeus. So their opportunities to interact were limited. When she did see him, he would be walking to the left and behind Freyda. Always polite. Always distant. His eyes forward. She would watch him speak when asked something directly. Most of the time he looked like he was in downtime.

Two years ago she had found herself at the Zeus Summit in San Antonio. She was attending to negotiate with Texas. She and Maxwell had decided to franchise Fangtasia and wanted to open venues in three cities in the state, including a venue on the city's famous Riverwalk close to the Alamo. As she rounded a corner at the conference center she found herself face to face with Eric.

Actually, she had found herself face to face with Freyda.

"Pam, you look lovely. How marvelous to see you!" Freyda had tilted her head just so. And Pam had understood that was her cue to bow to the taller woman. Which she did. Freyda's smile broadened and the volume of her next remarks was raised to create an audience for their interaction. "I heard you were here. I can see that life as a Sheriff agrees with you." And then Freyda had waited. Pam caught Freyda quickly glancing behind her. Pam realized Freyda was waiting for Eric to engage in the conversation.

But Eric didn't. He had maintained his position behind the Queen. He was still and his eyes slowly scanned the room. He didn't make eye contact with Pam once. She could have been a stranger. Pam never felt more abandoned than she did at that moment.

Freyda tilted her head again. But this time she tilted her head over her shoulder toward Eric. She was perfectly aware of where he stood. "Eric. Don't you wish to greet your child?"

Eric brought his eyes to meet Pam's. And for a moment she felt the depth of his despair. And just as quickly, the window into her maker's feelings was shut down. "Greetings, Pam. It is always good to see you. As my Queen says, you look well." He broke eye contact. And Eric was gone, hidden within himself and his duty.

The overall unhappiness of the marriage was well known amongst the Zeus rulers. Eric rarely made eye contact with Freyda. He didn't engage her in conversation unless directed. He didn't touch her unless she initiated the action. It was rumored she had to completely direct their lovemaking activities during their annual assignations; a situation which had led to her punishing him physically at least once. He had appeared beside her at the dinner that followed their first anniversary coupling missing an ear. Like everything at a vampire court, it was immediately noticed. The Queen had passed it off as a training accident. But the servants in the palace knew better and Freyda did not appreciate the snickering that had followed her footsteps for weeks afterwards.

It was probable that Freyda was still punishing Eric regularly, but she had been smart enough to not to do anything that would alert others to the discord that lay between them.

Freyda's pride was hurting. That caused her to be short and ill-tempered with everyone. At one of the state dinners early in their marriage she had lost her temper with Eric's withdrawn behavior. She made a sharp comment about his avoiding her on purpose within earshot of several of the Zeus monarchs. It was noticed from that point on Eric did not make eye contact or initiate conversation with anyone unless specifically directed by the Queen. When he was directed to engage in conversation, the experience was as Pam had experienced: brief, direct and over.

The charming, larger than life Viking that had been Eric Northman was gone. What was in his place was an efficient fighter, but a shell of a man.

Stan had asked Eric on the rare occasion he had found the Norseman without the queen how he was settling in at Oklahoma. Eric's answer had been brief but telling. "She owns me."

Stan Davis, the King of Texas had shared with Pam at one point in their conversation that he was worried about the situation. Before the marriage, Freyda had been viewed as an asset by Zeus. Beautiful and business savvy, she had made several strategic trade agreements with territories both within and outside their area. She seemed shrewd and politically adept. She had used her appearance to charm local politicians and media. She seemed poised to become a poster child for vampire mainstreaming across the country.

Now that had all gone to hell. Since the marriage, Freyda had gone from shrewd to shrew. Her temper was uncertain. 'Mercurial' and 'harsh' were the words most often coupled with her name.

Pam shook her head. If her maker thought that his strategy would wear down Freyda, he was wrong. It just made her angry, unstable and more determined. Pam wondered if that was his purpose. Did he wish to finally push the Queen hard enough to end him? Were Freyda to end him for no apparent breach in their formal contract, all the other terms and conditions would have to honored by their law. In addition, Freyda would face punishment, maybe death herself.

Pam was pulled from her worries by the sound of the Psycho theme ringtone.

"Ludwig?"

"Greetings deader. She's speaking."


	2. Chapter 2 - Deep Water

The burner phone was ringing. After this conversation, Pam would destroy it and scatter the components – untraceable, just as she had done three times before. Letting the ring tone continue, she had scanned her desk for the daily report on bug sweeps. The report confirmed her office was all clear as of only a few hours ago. The choice of ringtone – the harsh sounds of the Psycho theme – had been purposeful. It was hard to miss and somehow seemed appropriate to the little troll. Certainly Ludwig's personality fit the bill.

Pam had to purposely relax her grip. Although the need to breathe was long in Pam's past, she found herself doing it anyway. It had a calming effect.

"Ludwig?"

"Greetings deader. She's speaking."

Pam wasn't sure what she had expected to hear when she answered the phone. No. That was a lie. She expected to hear that Sookie was dead. And it was at this moment that Pam was absolutely sure that she hadn't been able to see the future any other way. She realized she had been anticipating the call; steeling herself for the conversation she would relay to Maude, Queen of Minnesota. From Maude the message would pass to Stan, King of Texas during one of their standing business discussions. Maude controlled an extensive silica sand mining operation. Stan had natural gas investments that required the sand. It was all very civilized. It also allowed messages to pass between clan areas with little interference or overt listening.

From Stan messages were passed through the thin network of spies to the ears of her maker in Oklahoma. She had prepared the message in her head so many times she could see the words in front of her eyes. "She is in the Summerlands." And Eric would know.

But this was unexpected.

"Tell me."

Pam could hear the doctor shift something on her side of the connection. "She responded to questions. She understood what I was asking. And she asked a question of her own. So no apparent brain injury. She's out of the woods. You need to move her. "

And Pam found herself at a loss. "I will make arrangements." She said the words but she really had no idea what arrangements she could make.

As if she could see the puzzled look on Pam's face, Ludwig called her out. "You better have a plan. I can see about getting her mobile, but you know she can't stay long. Your kind and others will come sniffing around here before long. I can't endanger the other patients for her. I don't care how much I like her."

"Listen troll. I said I'd make arrangements. I will." Pam touched her pearls again. Not for the first time she considered what an inconvenient person was Sookie Stackhouse.

Four weeks had passed since she had found Sookie. She had been shocked at the state of the house and even more shocked by Sookie's condition. The smell had struck her; sour food, unwashed human and soiled linen. Sookie's skin was sallow and she was so thin Pam could almost see the blood running through her veins. The guards had reported that the shifter had departed. Sightings of Sookie outside the house had been sporadic before Sam left. But after, there were no reports of seeing her outside or even moving around in the house. After a week, Pam had decided to see for herself.

She was surprised to find she could enter. She had assumed Sookie would have rescinded all invitations. The kitchen looked neglected. There was a plate in the dishrack. There were a couple condiments in the refrigerator and an open box of baking soda. But no food. Pam opened cabinet doors to see some cans. But there were no recent cooking smells.

There were signs of hasty packing. Things had been taken from shelves, but nothing had been adjusted to fill in the spaces. There was dust on all the furniture and even a fine coat of dust on the floor in the space behind the front door. Pam walked down the hall toward the bedroom she knew Sookie had started using. But the double bed was bare. The sheets had been removed and sat in a ball in the corner. There was a picture in a frame on the bedside table. It showed Sookie and her Grandmother smiling directly at the camera. They had their arms around each other. Pam saw another picture face down near the piled sheets. Broken glass lay around it. Pam carefully flipped over the frame to see Sookie and Eric. They were sitting together with their hands interlinked. They looked at each other and Eric was laughing – probably at something Sookie had said based on the look on her face.

Then Pam heard it. A soft moan – more like a breath. Pam went to the bedroom across the hall and found her. Sookie was wearing a dirty nightgown, buried under a blanket on a single bed. Her hair that had been the color of wheat and honey was dull and matted. Her eyes were sunken. She was staring blankly and her mouth hung open. Sookie was dying. Pam could smell it.

All Pam could think was that this would kill Eric. Pam couldn't imagine what was wrong with her, but this was not like the girl who had walked away from their lives such a short time ago. That girl had been subdued, but determined to find a normal life. What had happened?  
>Pam picked up the phone and called Doctor Ludwig. Of course, the doctor had not picked up. Pam left her a message on her answering service, telling her this was an emergency.<p>

The doctor had popped into the house almost immediately and walked to the bed to take a look at Sookie. "How long has this been going on?"

Pam shifted in her pumps. "I'm not sure. At least a week."

Doctor Ludwig pinched Sookie's fingers, looking at the way the blood returned to the ends of her digits. She pulled back her eyelids and peered in her ear. Then she licked the palm of her hand. "Well, she's been working on this a lot longer than that. She's starving herself. Painfully long way to commit suicide if you ask me. Looks like bonding illness, but we both know she's not bonded anymore and it's been too long for that to be a consideration."

"Can you fix her?"

Dr Ludwig fixed Pam with a skeptical eye. "We also know she can't be glamoured. Where's her husband – the shifter. Not the dead one."

Pam shook her head and huffed. "He's left her. About a week ago. But he's been cheating on her for a while now. Not coming home. He certainly didn't let anyone know she was ill"

"Poor child." Ludwig shook her head. "Was a wild card anyway. The shifter only married her to prove he could. Any fool could see that. Clearly didn't think enough of her to get her the help she needed." The doctor took the picture from Pam's hand and looked at the image.

"Well, Pam. Are you going to let her finish the job? Might be a kindness. "

Pam looked at the photo in the doctor's hands as it caught the light, making the smiles on the faces almost glow. "If Eric ever heard that she starved to death in her house he would never forgive me." Pam looked out the bedroom window, catching sight of one of the guards that still patrolled the woods edge. Karin had fulfilled her obligation years ago and was visiting friends in Europe. While Pam had maintained a guard at Sookie's house, perimeter of the patrol around the house had widened. Sam had protested having people not under his control watching Sookie and himself. He had managed to cancel the watchers during the day altogether. And Sookie had joined him, telling Pam that so much time had elapsed that there was really no need. But Pam had felt something she couldn't quite put a finger on – something that didn't sit well. So the guards had become more discrete, but had remained.

Pam took the photo from the doctor and laid it face down on the bed. "Truth is, I'm not sure I'd forgive myself. Sookie's a good person. This whole thing was never fair. To either of them."

Dr Ludwig peered at Pam closely through her thick glasses. "Well then, you should be prepared for a long haul. It won't be easy. I can have her brought back to my hospital and I can try to force feed her. But if she can't get this right in her head she'll be right back here before long."

Pam kept her gaze above the doctor's head. She wished that her maker was here. She wished that she was not the one having to make these decisions. If she found a way to keep Sookie alive what would lie ahead? Sookie and Eric would never be together again. Sookie wouldn't agree to be turned, so Sookie would die before Eric's marriage contract expired. But how would she ever explain this to Eric? Allowing Sookie to die this way was not an option. "Well don't just stand there giving me the stink eye. You have something in mind. What is it?"

Doctor Ludwig looked at her hands. "There is a place in Connecticut. It's in the hills. There is a person there who specializes in these kinds of cases. Supes who have lost their bonded mates. Post-traumatic stress disorder following torture. Complex grief. She has had some success. It's expensive. And you don't get a space unless you have someone pretty well placed sponsor you in. Because the ones that are taken in are usually in some danger. The woman who runs the place won't take someone unless she knows they have safe harbor when she releases them. Under the circumstances, I don't know who would vouch for Sookie. Sure won't be that asshole out of Nevada or his prize Oklahoma bitch. Know any kings or queens who would offer her a home for the rest of her life?"

Pam gazed at the doctor without really seeing. There was much to consider. Sookie was a lot of trouble. She really couldn't think of anyone off the top of her head that would go out on a limb for the telepath. Especially if the King of Nevada was likely to be cutting that limb right off.

Ludwig sighed. "Look, it's possible that she won't need a sponsor. Since she is who she is – Rhodes and all - maybe they will make an exception."

"Do you really think that's at the heart of this?" Pam looked pointedly at the photo one more time. "After all, Sookie is the one who walked away. She used the cluvier dor for Sam. She let Eric walk into that travesty of a marriage."

Doctor Ludwig looked at the vampire. "Deader, you and I both know that those two were meant to be together. Neither one of them will ever be right without the other." She took her bag. "Now don't insult my intelligence anymore. Either end her now or call my office and tell them to arrange transport to my hospital. We will need to treat her first. If she survives, I will make inquiries about having her admitted to Sanctum." The doctor returned to the bedroom. She placed her hand briefly on Sookie's forehead.

"She has always been worth ten of any creature. I can't understand how you could have been so careless about her future." Ludwig grabbed her bag and turned, meeting Pam's eyes. Her expression was all business. "Expect my bill." And she was gone.

The ambulance crew had arrived quickly. Pam thought how like a mummy Sookie looked; all bones and skin stretched over collar bones and hips.

The first report Pam had received from the hospital had not been promising. They had almost lost her in the first few days. Although they had been cautious, starting her with glucose water and milk, Sookie had developed an irregular heartbeat. Refeeding syndrome, they'd called it. Sookie had hovered in and out of consciousness for 24 hours. Then, miraculously, she had recovered.

The second report showed some improvement. Sookie was slowly being introduced to solid foods. There had been some concern that she would reject eating once she was more aware of her surroundings. But instead, Sookie had become complaisant – but without any sentience. She would respond to sounds or light by turning her head or blinking her eyes. She allowed herself to be fed. She could sit up for clothing or cleaning. But it was as though her mind was gone. She didn't respond to people. She didn't speak. Her eyes would open and she would stare at the ceiling or towards a window. When the room was dark, she would eventually close her eyes and sleep. But there was no other indication that she was aware. Other than the screaming when she slept at night.

The improvement had been enough for Ludwig to send feelers to the facility in Connecticut. But Sookie had been turned down. The correspondence stated that although the telepath's actions at Rhodes had been extraordinary, they had occurred some time in the past. Most recently she had shown a clear preference for her human life and no consideration for supernatural options. Even were one of the coveted beds to be set aside for her, there was no reason to believe that Ms Stackhouse would appreciate the hours and resources that would be spent. It was also likely that without formal protection upon release, she could only look forward to becoming a tempting target for any passing procurer. It was likely, based on her history that Ms Stackhouse would either resist or offer no defense. In either event, her death was deemed almost inevitable. Under the circumstances she was not considered a candidate at this time.

In her third report to Pam, Ludwig concluded that Sookie had recovered enough strength to survive transport. Dr Ludwig warned that Sookie still suffered from an irregular heartbeat. Most days her pulse was difficult to detect from anywhere but her groin. Most concerning, she had still not demonstrated that she was not irreparably damaged. Of course, there had been brain scans. But Sookie's scans were markedly different from anyone else. Without Barry, there was no comparable baseline, so Ludwig could not say for certain whether Sookie's condition would ever improve. Pam had convinced Ludwig to let Sookie stay at her facility for one more week.

And now, Pam would need to find a solution. Where to place Sookie? As she found herself reflecting on the most current events, Pam found herself becoming angry. Angry with Sookie. Angry with Eric. Angry with the politics and circumstances that had led to this place.

She decided that she needed to see the telepath.

Pam arrived at the warehouse that hid Dr. Ludwig's hospital on the day Sookie was to be taken to the gardens outside for the first time. She found herself facing Sookie being wheeled down the hallway. Pam reflected sourly that her timing was, as always, perfect.

Sookie looked different. Of course, she had to look different from the last time Pam had seen her. For one thing Sookie was clean. Her cheekbones were still sharp in her face. Although she was wrapped in blankets and a thick robe, Pam could see how painfully thin her wrists looked; like bird bones held together with thin, pale skin.

But it was her eyes that were most arresting. Those blue eyes that had laughed and flirted and sparked with anger were now vacant. They stared at her; through her from sunken sockets. The area below each eye almost looked bruised, so dark were the shadows beneath them.

Dr Ludwig bustled over. She stood beside Pam, not making eye contact. "Come to take a look at your handiwork? Got someone who's looking for a report?"

Pam was shocked. "No. No one is asking after her. She is finally being left alone, just like she always wanted."

Dr. Ludwig's eyes examined Pam even more sharply, and then just as suddenly softened. "Well I guess it's a good thing you're wrong as usual. She isn't really alone, is she Ms. Ravenscroft? Good thing you decided to check up on her."

Pam was surprised. But even more surprised to see the red drops on her blouse. Pam Ravenscroft never cried. But that day was different.


	3. Chapter 3 - Caught in the Backwash

_**WARNING: This chapter includes graphic depictions of domestic violence, spousal abuse including sexual abuse. If these are triggers for you it is possible to skip this chapter but still grasp the narrative from information that will be posted in later chapters. **_

_**Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards – Kierkegaard**_

I could feel sun on my face. I knew I was sitting outside. The difference in temperature, the feel of moving on floor then on pavement, the added pressure of a blanket pressed closer; I registered all these things. But they were not important. They were just veneers against the overwhelming, terrifying mess that was my life.

It was so confusing. I thought I had it right. I thought I had found my real life; my human, normal life. But it was a lie.

I had been betrayed before. My heart had broken in harsh, crippling ways that left me gasping for breath and aching. I had found myself blindly stumbling through city streets, not knowing where I was headed; trying to escape the gaping hole that was my heart.

But this was different. If I even tried to make sense of it I could feel the vertigo rushing up to grab me and drag me back. It was better not to think. It was better to stay quiet inside where I may not have anything, but at least I wasn't being battered and laughed at. Yup – all one big game was Sookie Stackhouse. Throw the dart and win a prize. Tears? No. Bury back. Tears mean you're thinking. Tears mean you're feeling. Better not to do either. Stay in the dark.

It was really all my fault – what happened. Sam had told me that bringing him back had changed him. He had told me he wasn't happy I saved him. But I had. I had thought, "He's my friend. He always stood by me. He made me a partner in the business. I belong in my town because of him." He had been so steady when my whole world was turning to shit. Of course I used the magic to save his life.

Sookie took a deep breath and leaned back against the seat. She could feel the heat of the sun on her face and hands. The bright light made the blood running through her eyelids look like kaleidoscope images. And she thought of the past five years.

In the bad days that had followed her using the cluvier dor, Sam had been there. But looking back on it, it seemed that Sam had mostly been there in a way that made Sookie feel guilty. He had been so unhappy about being brought back. Then there had been the business following the arrest. He could have just told her about his meeting with Eric. But he hadn't. He had avoided her and refused to speak with her. And Sookie, in her predictable way, had run to be his friend. She was so determined to be kind that it ended up causing her to pursue him. And pursue him she had. She had written him messages. She had inquired about him through mutual friends. She thought that it was just being Christian. And it seemed like a positive thing to do in the midst of all the horrible things that were happening.

Sookie couldn't think of that time without remembering how abandoned and rejected she had felt. Amelia had come back into her life, spilling her secrets and bad-mouthing Eric at every turn. Alcide was quick with the biting comments, calling Eric the King of Cold. Her friends, including Tara had jumped on the hate wagon in no time. Quinn telling her that he was the only one who could do the Oklahoma wedding – making sure she knew it was going forward and when. There had been not one person who had been willing to support her relationship with Eric. And she had allowed her friends to consider it acceptable.

Hell, she'd even considered taking Bill back into her bed for vengeance sex.

Bill had driven of the final nails in the coffin, so to speak. Bill had been the one to tell her that Eric had laughed when he heard Sam was staying away. Bill couldn't wait to be the one to tell her the deal that Eric and Sam had struck for the bail money. Bill had used every opportunity to twist and turn Eric's actions, and then use them like a knife to twist and turn Sookie. And, like a bad habit she just couldn't break, Sookie had believed him. She knew Bill had wanted her back. She knew Bill wanted her for his own. She knew he despised Eric, because he told her. And still, Sookie had believed him.

And there was Sam. When Sam had told her he would break his promise to Eric and talk with her, Sookie had been so relieved she had thrown herself into his arms. It wasn't until later that it occurred to Sookie that the reason she was so happy was that Sam had been willing to do what Eric would not; set aside his honor and say it was for her.

Bill had started the story of what happened that night – the night Sam went to see Eric to ask for Sookie's bail. But Sam had elaborated in a way that was guaranteed to make Sookie hate the vampire. Like all lies, some part of it had been true. Freyda had been there. There had been conditions to giving the money. Eric had felt guilty about not being able to volunteer the money. So the bits about making Sam promise not to tell her how it came about – that kind of made sense. But the business about Sam not being able to court her? That had been a lie.

It was only now, in the cold light of day Sookie could start to appreciate that although Eric hadn't told her in plain terms his intentions; although he had never asked to marry her in a human ceremony or offered to re-bond after she had broken it so carelessly, his affections had indeed always been with her.

He had given up 200 years of his life to make sure that she was safe from any vampire interference. He had indentured his own child for a year to watch over her. He had done his best to have Pam installed as sheriff so that Sookie could be sure that actions in the area would flow around her. When Horst had shown up at her house, determined on some sort of mischief, Eric had agreed to leave for Oklahoma immediately in exchange for further assurances from Felipe the Sookie would be left in peace.

She knew Eric had been jealous of Sam. When she had been shot and in the hospital; the last time she saw her Eric, she had held Sam's hand and refused to let it go. Eric had offered her his blood to heal her, but she had thrown his offer back in his face. She had heard Eric say "I will not release you." She had thought at the time that Eric was speaking with Sam. But like so much that had happened, she wasn't really sure what was true anymore.

And before she could recover; before she felt like her life was in any kind of balance, she was back in the hands of men who wanted to torture her. She remembered how Claude, her poor demented fairy cousin had known about her scars – the ones that never really recovered from the first time. She remembered how some part of her mind was playing through everything that had happened with Neave and Lochlan, and how she was almost anticipating the same things again. It had been like some sick, sad part of her was looking forward to the feel of the knife and the total loss of control. Like in some part of her brain she had decided that all the bad things were things she deserved.

Then she was rescued. And she was in Sam's arms. And they were making love. And he was moving from his trailer to her house. And they were getting married in a church with her friends and family. There was a big reception at Merlottes. She remembered feeling a little odd that Sam had asked her to pay for the expenses. But then again, she had told him of her windfall and she had been so determined to join the ranks of everyone she knew in being married that she pushed the thought from her head.

Sam had made a big deal about not inviting Pam or Karin. Sookie had understood, but it hadn't sat well. She had emailed Pam to tell her the news. She had walked out to the tree line to tell Karin.

The vampire had been very still for a long while. Sookie had felt her eyes searching and pulling at her.

"Are you sure?" And in the very back of her head, Sookie remembered hearing a small voice screaming, "No! Don't do this!" But Sookie was so sure that this was the happy ending she had always deserved. A normal life. A normal, warm husband who everyone liked. No late night politics or danger waiting behind every corner. Just quiet and safe and ordinary.

So Sookie assured Karin that this was the way things were always meant to be. She told Karin she was sure that Karin and Pam understood how having them at the wedding and reception would be awkward. Sam had held her afterwards and told her how brave and right she had been. He had told her how he appreciated that she was willing to put him first.

Karin and Sookie didn't speak so often after that. Once the wedding was over and Sam and she had returned from the Hawaiian honeymoon Sookie had paid for, she rarely saw Karin at all. She knew that Karin was still on the perimeters of her property because Bill mentioned her.

But over the next few weeks, she saw Bill less and less as well. She mentioned it to Sam. Sam told her that he'd told Bill to stop coming around so often. After all, Bill was Sookie's past. She had a future to build with him. It had sparked their first real fight.

Sam had yelled at her a lot. He had thrown things. He had got right in her face telling her that he knew in his gut that she wasn't over her unhealthy obsession with all things dead. He told her that he knew that the reason she wasn't as uninhibited in bed as she should be was because she really just wanted cold things in her. He told her that he wasn't ever going to be the kind of guy that needed to bite her to get off, and that if that's the kind of sick person she was, she should just tell him. He would file for divorce right now.

She had cried and clung to him. Thinking back on how she had acted; how crazed and needy she had sounded. And Sookie felt ashamed. She had promised him anything. She had begged for a child so she could prove to him that she was really his. She remembered how he had snarled at her and told her that he wouldn't begin to think about bringing any child of his into their lives until she had her head on straight and had her cunt out of the graveyard. He had banged out of the house and hadn't returned for three days.

When he did come back, he had been wearing a boyish smile and carrying a bouquet of daisies. He told her that he didn't want to fight with her anymore. He held her hands, and looked deep in her eyes and told her if she would try harder, so would he. And she had been so grateful. The sex had been rough that night. He had really hurt her. But if this was what he wanted, Sookie wanted to be that for him. He was her husband and she didn't want him to think that she was holding onto the past. Sam was her future.

That really was the beginning. It always seemed that there was something wrong. She couldn't cook the way he liked. She didn't dress the right way. She talked trashy and needed to clean up her act if she was really going to be running a restaurant. If the restaurant lost money, it was because she needed to change how she was treating their customers.

Sam would make plans to meet with Jason and Michele. But then something would come up and they would have to cancel. The times that Michele invited them were never convenient for one reason or another. It was the Christmas of their second year married when Sookie realized that although she and Sam spoke of her brother and his family often, it had been almost a year since she'd actually seen them. Sookie had called Michele and made arrangements to drive out right away. It had been a really nice afternoon and they'd laughed and shared. Hours had passed. Sookie remembered how the stars had been shining on her drive home. It made her remember another starry night when Eric had laid her out on the hood of his car. And for the first time in a long time she found herself laughing out loud. But she was also crying. She felt confused and hurt and she wondered how he was doing and if he thought of her ever.

When she drove down the long driveway, she could see the lights of the house. Every light was on and the house looked like a blazing box in the dark. Sam was at the door, a dark shadow against the brightness behind him. She could tell by the set of his shoulders she was in trouble.

"Where were you?"

"I went to see Jason and Michele. It's been so long and since it's Christmas and all…"

"Liar!" He strode into the yard and grabbed her arm. Sookie wondered what would have happened if Karin had still been there. But Karin wasn't. She had left without saying a word when her year was up. Sookie had the impression that there were still watchers, and every once in a while she thought she could catch thought signatures near the borders, but she didn't see anyone tonight.

Sam pulled her into the house and dragged her through the kitchen into the living room. He flung her against the coffee table in front of the couch. Sookie felt her knee impact and knew there would be a bruise tomorrow to join the one on her arm.

"Don't you lie to me! If you were going to see your brother, you would have invited me! Who have you been sneaking around with? DuRone? I always knew he wanted to get in your pants! Hoyt? You spread yourself for him? Or did you lean over for Compton? Missing that whiff of corpse in your life?"

"No! No! Just call her! Michele will tell you I was there!"

"Like she wouldn't lie for you, you little whore. I know you've been giving it up all over the county for anyone who asks. Cause you sure as hell aren't doing your job here!" And he'd grabbed her by the hair and forced her to her knees.

"You better be showing me that you haven't used yourself up on someone else. You love me? You only mine? Prove it!"

And Sookie had crawled toward him and worked open the belt of his pants. She had pulled down his zipper and reached to stroke his growing erection. Sam had stood over her, his eyes hard and his muscles almost shaking in rage.

"If you bite me I'll beat you bloody." And with that he had freed himself and used her hair to bring her mouth to him.

"Suck, vampire lover. Suck me like the whore you are." His free hand had traveled to her cheek, then her jaw, and finally her throat. He forced her head back and forth. "Hold onto my legs. Moan for me, bitch." And she had. He had fucked her throat until she could see black spots in front of her eyes from lack of oxygen.

He pulled her off and pushed her to the couch. "Pull your pants off and lean over," he demanded.

"Please, Sam. Please don't hurt me. Just call Michele and Jason. They'll tell you I was there!" But Sookie pulled her pants down anyway. She knew not to argue.

She kneeled on the couch cushions and he pushed her face into the cushions. Then he pushed his cock into her anus. He knew that it hurt her. "This is what happens when you cheat on me. I check you out. Look – no lubrication, so I guess you didn't cheat on me with your nice tight ass." Then he pulled out of her and slammed himself into her pussy. " Wow, Sookie. Maybe I owe you an apology. This hole is pretty dry too. But it shouldn't be. I'm your husband and you need to be taking care of me." And he had reached around to twist her nipple while he shoved brutally until he found his release.

"Get yourself cleaned up. And take care you don't get some nasty infection in your pussy. Then come to bed."

And Sam walked back to their bedroom.

Sookie had showered and used a douche to clear herself. She had washed carefully, wincing at the sharp pain and trying to stanch the blood from her ripped tissues. She had crawled into bed, naked like Sam wanted. She was trembling and tried her hardest not to make any noise.

Sam rolled over and pulled her into his arms. He cuddled her and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry baby. I shouldn't have done that. You know how crazy with worry I get when I don't know where you are. Please just tell me when you are going out so I don't get all worked up."

Sookie found herself crying and telling him she forgave him and promising she would do better.

At work the next day, she found herself looking at Sam. She wondered what she had ever seen that had looked attractive or friendly. Sam looked up and caught her gaze.

"What?"

"What happened to you?" she asked.

"I came back," he said. "I wish I hadn't."

Sookie became accustomed to the life that developed. Sam would go out. She wasn't allowed to ask where he went. He used her money (their money) as he wished. One day she came home to find a pair of woman's underwear in her laundry basket. It was stiff with dried fluids.

When she asked Sam if he knew where they had come from, he smirked at her and told her if she was thinner and prettier she wouldn't need to be worried. Sam started regulating what she was eating. If she deviated from the food he prescribed for her, he'd tell her that she was just driving him away by letting herself get fat. Sookie found most days she was hungry. But she also found that it was hard to work up much energy to fight anymore. It was just too much trouble to disagree with Sam on anything. His temper was always just below the surface. Any little thing could spark an argument.

Sookie found herself giving up on things she liked or people she wanted in her life. If Sam suspected she was attached to an item she would find it broken or gone. And it was just too difficult to maintain relationships. Sam would accuse her of cheating on him or talking behind his back. He had a huge shouting argument with Tara. Tara refused to come to their house anymore.

Then had come the day Sam had announced that it was time that they had a baby.

Sookie had been in one moment stunned and in the next moment horrified. Her own life had become a roller coaster of nasty surprises. But there had always been the small voice in the back of her head that told her that it wasn't really that bad. And if it was, she could always leave him.

A baby would change that. She would never be able to ever get free of him. The voices in her head started screaming loud that day. It had been hard, but she'd found a way to get to Shreveport to see a doctor. Luck was with her and the birth control pill prescription worked well. It had been a stressful month, but somehow she'd managed to stay pregnancy-free. She hid the pills in her purse. When she caught Sam looking through her purse (just trying to see where your money is going to help you budget better), she moved the pills to a Tupperware in the freezer.

She knew the minute he found them. He was in her face, shaking the pills at her. He told her he knew that she was a liar and that she had never loved him. He shook her until she fell. It happened so much easier now. She was so thin that someone at the restaurant had thought she had contracted cancer.  
>Sam started unbuckling his belt, making it clear he'd take what he wanted.<p>

"Well, at least I'm not a vamp!" he screamed. "Sometimes I wish I was – then I could just force you to feel what I need!"

And Sookie felt some part of her old self come forward. "Like that would work? You know I can't be glamoured!"

And she saw something that she had not seen before in Sam's face. There was an element of having been found out – like there had been something lurking below the surface that was not just the two of them. "Are you really that stupid? I used to believe you were naive, but now it's clear that you really are just a dumb hick. You know what that bond was about. He was just pushing you. I heard he liked it rough. But he made you so horny you just begged for it."

And then he struck her. In all the years they had been together, he had never hit her anywhere that anyone would see. She fell to the floor and he was over her. He dragged her by the hair into the living room to the couch. This was his favorite place for punishing her. He took her in every way until she was broken and moaning. Then he stood over her and pulled her face to his.

"He never loved you. They can't love – none of them. Either get over it or end it. Cause he moved on to greener pastures and you were never more than his feed and fuck."

Sookie remembered how something inside had broken then. She had crawled to the bedroom they shared. She had thought about crawling onto the bed, but she knew if she tried to rise, even to her knees, the pain would bloom and then roar to life. She knew if she stayed still Sam would leave. That would be best.

He took his time. He showered. He threw some clothes into a bag. He walked over Sookie and around her, like she was dirty clothes or trash. Sookie remembered thinking just that. "I'm just the nasty stuff that gets left on the carpet," she thought, "Barely worth the dustbin."

Then something caught her eye. It was a picture in a frame under the bed. Slowly, slowly Sookie extended her arm to catch it with her fingertips. Little by little she drew it toward her. She had thought in her dreamy, shocky way that maybe she could escape into the picture. Maybe it would be like the family in the little house where Thing One and Thing Two had held her so long ago. Maybe it would be an answer to her pain. And she had flipped the picture up. "It is us," she thought. She remembered the day of that photo. She had been smart mouthing off to Eric and he had laughed at her. She had been annoyed, but not really. Michele had taken the photo and given it to Sookie days before their lives had gone so bad; when Appius had come. She remembered how Eric had smiled when he saw the picture on her table and how he had held her and kissed her.

Sookie must have made a noise. Sam was walking past. He was on his phone telling someone he would be there soon. "Can't wait to see you too." He was using his sex voice. Then he stopped. He leaned down and Sookie couldn't keep herself from flinching and the picture fell over. While Sookie curled into herself, Sam picked the picture from the floor.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he yelled. Sookie heard the sound of the frame and glass breaking when it hit the wall. She wanted to close her eyes and make it go away. But she couldn't. The picture was gone. He had broken that too. She was stuck with nowhere to run. No escape. Sam grabbed the sheets from the bed and pulled them off and threw them across the room as well. Then he stomped from the room.

Sookie had finally found a place deep inside herself and she had retreated there. She didn't hear the front door slam.

Days passed. She had found her way across the hall. She had tried to make some soup, but there wasn't much in the house. And Sookie found she was too tired to go far. There were days that she thought of whole conversations with people that probably weren't there at all.

She thought she saw Eric. She asked him what he was thinking when he made the bond with her. She asked him if he had used the bond to manipulate her feelings. She told him that she didn't really believe that he did because she had fought with him as often as not. If he had really been able to make her dance like a puppet on a string he sure had made some pretty crazy choices about what he wanted her to do.

When she saw Niall she asked why he made the area around her house so crazy fertile. If this was a blessing, what did he mean her to do with it? Or had it just been for her pleasure because he knew she liked to garden?

One time she thought she saw the Ancient Pythoness. The crazy blind vampire was sitting next to her bed stroking her hair.

And she thought she saw Sam with Freyda. Sam was telling the Queen there was no food left in the house and that it wouldn't take long. He had turned off the water and Sookie had no car or phone. Freyda was thanking him for giving her such a wonderful show and that she loved the movies he had made.

Sookie closed her eyes and dreamed of flying through starry skies in the arms of the one that she now knew with all the conviction of her heart had always been the love of her life.


	4. Chapter 4 - An Eddy in the Current

Chapter 4 – An Eddy in the Current

Bartlett Crowe laughed out loud. The after party he and Russell were hosting for the Friends of Fishers Renaissance Faire was in high gear. When Bartlett had decided to move his court from Indianapolis, there had been some concern. But the King and his partner, Russell Edgington had been delighted with Fishers. It was convenient to the city and their interests. It was still relatively lightly populated. The standard of living was more than adequate. The town had been written up as one of the best cities in the United States by Forbes Magazine. And every year there was a Renaissance Faire that drew performers from across the country. For Bartlett it was a grand time – a chance to dress as he once had – without drawing too much scrutiny. Bartlett was well aware that he showed well in Tudor dress and hose.

Because the Faire proper was held during daylight, Russell and Bartlett had decided to become primary sponsors. It provided them the excuse for their annual party. They paid the players to stay the extra night and perform for the Kings and their guests. Last year the jousters had shown up and given their entire routine on the field within the royal compound under special lights.

October could be a dicey time of year in Indiana. But the past few years the party had enjoyed perfect fall weather under starry skies.

Bartlett turned to look at Russell. They had now been married six years. It seemed like only yesterday. Bartlett found himself thinking about how quickly their time had passed. Each day they seemed to find something else about each other that was new and wonderful. Sometimes it was a mutual discovery. Sometimes it was a sharing of some small thing that one of them had experienced over their long, long lives.

Unlike most political marriages between monarchs, theirs was based on mutual attraction. When Bartlett was feeling particularly sentimental, we would tell Russell he was almost sure it might be love. And Russell would roll his eyes and make some comment about figuring out whether they were Kings or Queens.

During the first few years, they had kept human pets. It was their habit and almost expected of men of their rank. But once the Federal Bureau of Vampire Affairs had organized the donor pool, both men had decided to become ardent supporters. No more private donors or the risks that came with it. Instead they made arrangements for a carefully screened procession of young men who arrived, fulfilled their duty, and left. Bartlett and Russell found the arrangement convenient. It also eliminated any lingering concerns about jealousy or possessiveness between them.

As vampire, they were by nature possessive. While they had taken care not to feed too often from the same donors, it had been inevitable that there would be some misunderstandings. Or the donors themselves would become problematic; becoming too attached to one man or the other. Now the distraction of those conversations was at an end, and their relationship had blossomed without the stress.

Russell saw his partner watching him and detached himself from the Mayor and his wife. He grabbed a second glass of Royalty Blended from the waiter that stood ever ready at his elbow and walked toward the taller man.

Bartlett looked wonderful under the lights. His blond hair shone like a bronze helmet. His beautiful, strong face mellowed with a smile. It was that special smile that was Russell's alone. Bartlett stepped forward to meet Russell halfway and held out his hand. Then he drew his partner to him for a kiss. Russell's arm slipped around Bartlett's waist as he handed him the goblet. Together, they turned toward their guests.

"It is a perfect night. Another triumph." Russell smiled and sipped.

"Yes. We must remember to reward our day men. They worked exceptionally well with the E(E) E people. This year is even better than last. The Mud Wrestlers were particularly well received."

Russell looked at the stage area. Guests were sitting on benches, listening to ribald humor and clearly enjoying the simple, uncomplicated humor that was slapstick. "There was a suggestion that next year we ask that guests donate, and that all the money be donated to the local food bank or some other good cause."

Bartlett wrinkled his brow. "I really am not sure about that idea. This is supposed to be a pure party to thank everyone who took part in pulling the Faire together."

"And an excuse for you to show off your rather lovely legs." Russell smiled at his consort.

"Well, yes. That too." Bartlett squeezed Russell. "But seriously. I think we can come up with a different event that can support charity in a more straight forward way. Maybe a 'Stuff a Bus' event or 'Match the Donation' thing. I just don't want to lose the whimsy because people feel that they need to pay a price for admission."

Russell smiled. "Of course, Buttercup. As you wish."

Bartlett laughed out loud. "Oh grow a set!" Bartlett stepped away from Russell and took his hand. Together they walked toward the pond that sat on the property. They had discovered they both loved lake fishing. So the pond had been stocked with bass and pike. They stood watching the ripples that the aeration fountain made on the water surface.

"Have you read the latest numbers from the Indiana plants?" Russell didn't make eye contact. He kept his eyes on the moving water.

"It is intolerable. How can we maintain acceptable profit margins when the cost to ship is escalating? That bastard de Castro will kill us all."

"I agree. There is a new report you'll see Monday morning comparing transportation costs. We could ship through the Great Lakes, but we'll end up on rail or truck to get to the seacoast. And with the markets in Asia, we end up the long way around."

"Not to mention that even if we do go the Suez route, it's a veritable shithole of pirates and scum. We have to have access to the Caribbean and the Panama Canal." Bartlett finished his blood in one gulp. He looked behind Russell to gauge the distance between themselves and their guests. "You know we can't be the only ones hurting. Isaiah has our problem in spades. With the auto manufacturing he's doing for Japan, he has got to be choking on this. It's not our fault de Castro has been bankrupting himself on those stupid casinos. And he's not smart enough to figure out that Louisiana is a treasure trove of oil and natural gas."

Russell nodded. "God only knows when he received his education, if at all. As far as I can tell, he was the product of some inbred Spanish noble house who valued lisps and bad teeth. He could make something of himself, but he refuses to see the world that could be. He just revels in the political back biting of the past."

Bartlett looked across the water, his gaze on the horizon. "We have such opportunity. We can be so much more now that we aren't forced to live in the dirt and hide our faces. Why are we still surrounded by these hold-overs? It's like living in a bad Hollywood movie. Have you seen the cape? What is that all about?"

"Oh I don't know," Russell said, leaning toward his mate. "He might make someone a good Queen. He thinks he had the fashion sense for it."

Bartlett shuddered dramatically. "All he needs is that shoe-black slicked back hair and the oily voice. Oh wait… he does have that!"

The monarchs laughed. But then they took a more business-like stance. "You know it's not really funny. Everything we do is so much more public. You have a joker like that running around, it hurts us all. It's hard enough to be taken seriously. And with the government willing to believe that we glamour our way to our fortune, or that we're resorting to some nefarious plan, it's just all the more pressure. And now we prey on each other, trying to financially cripple our own kind? We should be working on the same side. Not feeding into petty jealousies."

"But how are you going to convince someone like Count Chocula to step up to the board room? He barely understands the part humans must play in all of this. He certainly doesn't respect them. He acts like we are still in the crypt."

Bartlett turned back toward their guests. "We really should rejoin the party, darling. It's getting late and the local folks will be leaving soon. Besides, we'll have an opportunity to sound Zorro out at the upcoming summit in Nashville."

Russell stepped forward and caught Bartlett's hand and then caught his eye. "Then you haven't heard. King Felipe has declared that Louisiana and Arkansas are now part of Narayana clan. He had no intention of attending any more Amun summits. He has told our Clan directors that in future if we wish to negotiate trade terms with him we need to come to his Clan summit as supplicants."

Bartlett hissed, his fangs descending. "He goes too far."

Russell nodded. "I agree dear one. We have much to discuss with our colleagues in Nashville."

As they drifted back toward the crowd, they saw Stan Davis, the King of Texas approaching. Their connections with Stan were long-standing. Although he was Zeus, and by definition a competitor, he was one of the people that they both held in high regard.

"Greetings, Stan. So happy you can make it. And, might I say it is always a pleasure to welcome the dead back from the dead?"

Stan smiled. "You know, it's funny every time you say it."

Stan had been injured at a previous summit in Rhodes. Fanatics had bombed the hotel and many vampires and humans had lost their lives. Stan had gone into hiding as his limbs regrew. But an assassin had found his crypt and tried to end him. Stan's resemblance to Bill Gates was well founded. He had a grasp of technology and the strength it created. He had the foresight to install state of the art surveillance and monitoring equipment. He had been able to see danger approaching and had survived the attack.

Stan had understood that being declared finally dead could work to his advantage. He had spent the remainder of his convalescence flying under the radar. This led many to believe that the assassin had been successful. But once he had fully recovered, he presented himself to the Zeus directors at the next Summit. He had been summarily reinstated to his throne.

Since that time, he had been approached by monarchs from all clans as well as Canada and Europe asking for assistance with similar security webs. Stan used the additional income to invest in nanotechnology, looking into the use of mini-robots to automate some of the more hazardous aspects of shale oil drilling operations. It was still years away, but Stan, like the married monarchs, understood the value of the long plan.

Seeing Stan still among them, Bartlett and Russell were reminded, not for the first time, how fortunate they had been to have left the Rhodes Summit before the end of the proceedings for their honeymoon.

"Lovely party. And you both look wonderful. Indiana seems to appeal to both of you." Stan gestured toward the lawns and pond.

"Yes. Indiana is lovely this time of year. But we'll be returning to Mississippi in another month. Always so much to do and so much to arrange.

Stan nodded. He took a sip from his goblet, then swirled the liquid. "You hear the latest about de Castro?"

"If you mean that the bastard is carving up our territories – then yes. Why? Is there something else?"

Stan shook his head. "Besides the usual interference? No. I heard the same thing." They stood together in silence for a while. "Of course, you don't have a raving psycho bitch just over your border either. Any day now she's going to rip some poor human up in a very public way. And we will all be paying the price."

Russell and Bartlett waited. They knew an opening when they heard one. Stan had something to say.

After a few minutes of watching the crowd, Stan let it out.

"I had thought that when she and the Viking married that they would become the power couple of the country. After all, he knows his way around a negotiation and she's ambitious. But talk about a disaster. They don't even look good together. He looks like a zombie and she looks like a were witch on V. She needs to let Northman out of the marriage and get herself someone who is going to work with her."

"Do you really think she will figure that out?" Bartlett looked bored. He had seen Freyda a couple months past. She was brittle and nasty. She had made statements that demonstrated her inattentiveness to her realm and her interests. Bartlett had been left wondering how she managed to make it this far.

Russell spoke up. "You know I've always had a soft spot for Northman. I had thought that if anyone could get out of the noose his maker made for him, it would be Viking. But I have to hand it to him. He stood by his obligation."

Bartlett took Russell's hand. "You know he married us? Eric Northman?"

"Yes, I remember," said Stan. "This business with Freyda is costing him every part of himself. He was a good man and a strong vampire. It's pathetic."

"What's pathetic is that we don't have a way to regulate ourselves. Bartlett and I were discussing how things need to change. This whole situation is just another case that makes the point."

Bartlett took Russell's hand. "You are right, dear one. So much to talk about in Nashville."


	5. Chapter 5-Ripples

Chapter 5 – Ripples

Pam called her partner, Maxwell Lee into her office. "Close the door," Pam told him.

Max could see that Pam was worried about something. Her normally stoic appearance was gone. She was leaning back in her chair and her mouth was turned down. Lee walked into the office, closed the door and flicked the switch to turn on the white noise machine. For humans, the level of static generated by the box made normal conversation almost impossible. But for vampires with their superior ability to hear, the machine served its purpose; passive surveillance was rendered almost impossible. Although the office was swept for bugs on a daily basis, Pam felt the extra security was worth it.

Maxwell agreed. No amount of caution in their world ever seemed enough. He settled himself in the chair opposite Pam and crossed his leg. He adjusted his pant leg to preserve the crease, and then looked up at his partner, waiting for her to tell him what had her in such a foul mood.

Pam's look was grim. "We need a plan."

"Why? What's up?"

"Sookie Stackhouse."

Maxwell felt his eyes lift in surprise. "Well, that's a name I never thought to hear again. Who's she killed this time?" And then Max smiled, his fangs descending.

During the years Lee had known her; years during which she was in a relationship, first with Bill Compton and then with Eric Northman, Sookie Stackhouse had killed an impressive list of vampires, weres, fairies and humans. There was an urban legend that any Fangtasia bartender that met her could be guaranteed of finding an early, violent death. Based on actual experience, there was some basis for the story. Every time Sookie had been introduced to a new bartender, that person had coincidentally met with an untimely end. It wasn't like Sookie was directly involved. It just, somehow, happened.

At one point (but not until Eric had left for Oklahoma), someone had hung a photo of Sookie behind the bar. They had drawn a big red circle around her face and placed a thick red slash through it. The joke was that it was their gris gris to break the curse. Since Felipe had banned Sookie for life from ever entering Fangtasia following her divorce from Eric, the point had been moot. But the legend continued and the photo remained.

Pam met Maxwell's smile with a raised brow. "Well, I have someone to nominate for her death list." Pam shifted to lean forward. "But we have to handle our immediate problem. We need to find somewhere to place her."

"What are you talking about? What's wrong with the shifter? And what about those dogs we are paying for? The ones Herveaux sent to patrol her woods? I don't need to tell you what protecting Sookie Stackhouse costs – and has cost us over the years. I always liked her, but there does seem like there should be some kind of expiration date, don't you think?"

Pam took an unnecessary breath. "Max, this is not about her being my favorite breather. Something has happened. I'm sure the shifter is responsible. She's been with Ludwig close to a month and the little troll is insisting that I get her moved." Pam sat back and crossed her arms. "Part of it is just the usual pathetic human crap. Turns out Merlotte is a garden variety wife beater…"

Maxwell leaned forward and he hissed.

"Yes," said Pam. "I quite agree. Scum. If she were still bonded to Eric he'd be under a death sentence already. As it is, no one seems to know where he's gone." Pam shifted, her focus blurring. "But there is more to this. Something about this whole thing doesn't add up. But there's nothing I can really put my finger on – and I have no evidence to suggest external involvement."

Maxwell sat back, lost in thought. After a minute he said, "Yes, like why we have been paying for guards and no one reports anything? I don't believe that something like this could have been going on and the weres couldn't hear it. I don't care how far back from the house they were stationed." Maxwell retracted his fangs. He looked closely at Pam. He had always known that she had feelings for the telepath. He could see the strain on her face. "How is she?"

Pam glanced at the folder on her desk. Ludwig had listed in some detail the physical damage that she had found through her physical examination. In addition to anemia and the stomach and digestive issues that were to be expected of someone who had been subjected to food deprivation, there was evidence of healed fractures in her fingers, toes, lower arms and ribs that appeared relatively recent. Sookie had dental damage; chipped and cracked teeth. Ludwig had also listed scarring that was indicative of repeated sexual trauma. 'She's alive, but that bastard hurt her, and more than once. It was weeks before we could confirm she wasn't suffering from some sort of permanent brain injury."

Max plucked at the crease of his pant leg, lifting it and letting it drop a couple times. It was his thinking pose. He didn't look up as he asked, "Is she well enough to be moved?"

"No. Not really. But Ludwig wants her out before someone reports she's vulnerable."

"Like the incompetent guards?"

Pam leaned back. "Yes, that is a call I need to make to Alcide Herveaux to understand what happened. " Pam thought about her relationship with the pack master of the Shreveport Long Tooth Pack.

For the most part, Pam and Alcide were now cordial and supported each other as needed. 'Frenemies' seemed to best cover the nature of the relationship between them. But Pam couldn't ignore history. Weres and vampires were natural enemies. There was a time when the only mutual aid they would provide was to make a call to some enemy to help hasten each other's death. Eric Northman, during his time as sheriff of Area 5 had been the one to lay the groundwork that allowed the two groups to be more aligned with each other. Granted, that alignment had started as more of a coerced agreement.

Sookie had been the one who had become the bridge. Through her actions, she had been named a Friend of the Pack. That status meant that Long Tooth Pack was pledged to protect and support her. And since Sookie was bonded and married to Eric, the pledge had glossed over. Sookie had personally supported Alcide when his father made a bid to become pack master. That had ended in disaster and Alcide's father had been executed. Pam knew that Alcide had blamed Sookie. Alcide had also harbored some lingering resentment about Debbie Pelt.

Alcide had loved Debbie, but when things had gone south in their relationship, Debbie had decided Sookie was to blame. She had stalked the telepath and then broken into her house with the sole intent of killing her. In true steel magnolia fashion, it had been Sookie that did the killing. It was clearly self-defense, but Alcide never really got over it. It seemed after Debbie's death Alcide would smile and make all the right moves, but his end game was somehow always self-serving.

Pam thought about how Sookie had shown up at Eric's house during a particularly tense time; that time when Felipe was investigating Victor's death and looking for an excuse to kill them all. She had been half out of her mind from some drug that Alcide had pushed on her. The Pack used a shaman in some of their ceremonies and found themselves short one for a trial that Sookie had agreed to attend earlier that day. Because Sookie was a telepath, Alcide had assumed she would be a good substitute. Using his knowledge of her almost pathological need to help others, he had talked her into swallowing some concoction that was supposed to bring her clarity. Pam never did find out what it was, or what it was supposed to do. All she did know is that Sookie had been horribly ill. Her poor physical and mental state had made an already horrible situation even worse. They had survived, but the damage done to the relationship between her maker and the telepath that started that night had never seemed to heal.

Pam had heard another story as well; that Alcide had shown up in Sookie's bed, naked, in an effort to seduce her. But Pam couldn't believe it.

Following Sookie's marriage to Sam Merlotte, Alcide and the pack had become less frequent visitors to Bon Temps or Fangtasia. For one thing, Sam had made known that he wasn't interested in socializing with the Pack. He told people that shifters were, by nature, more singular and didn't really need to have the comfort of a crowd surrounding them. He also made clear that he was not particularly comfortable with Alcide, personally. There was history there too, but nothing Pam could concern herself in figuring out. What she did know what was that Sam made a point of alienating anyone and everyone who could have been an unbiased observer to his relationship with Sookie Stackhouse.

Pam pulled herself out of her reverie. Any ideas about where we can stash Sookie?"

Maxwell thought through possibilities. "Does this in any way affect her protection under agreement with Felipe?"

"No, " Pam shook her head. "She has done nothing to violate the conditions. She has stayed in Area 5. She did not directly contact me or Karin or Eric. She has not set foot in Fangtasia." Pam thought through the possibilities. "There is no evidence that she was damaged by a vampire. No vampire appears to have had anything to do with what happened." Pam glanced at the computer screen. "Even though Felipe has not asked her for use of her gift in years, I suppose she is still technically his asset. I am probably in trouble for not informing him."

"I think you could argue that the conditions of the agreement exempted her from any involvement, even as an asset, from vampire life."

Pam nodded, but looked skeptical.

"We should focus on finding her a bed, then worry about the king," Max said. He then started to talk through the options he had considered. "She can't go to any of the public hospitals or rehab centers. It won't take any time for the alarm to go out. If someone is determined to snatch her, humans would not be able to stand in their way."

Pam agreed.

Max continued. "And she can't come into either of our homes. She will need care; medical care, and that's just too many strangers knowing where we rest." He started ticking off the other obvious options. Her brother's home would only endanger the whole family. She was too ill to travel to Karin. Her other human friends had apparently abandoned her to Sam's gentle care, so how hard would they fight for her if they were threatened? She was banned from Fangtasia so having her here was out of the question.

Pam looked up. "Niall Brigant would be an obvious choice. He's her blood relative and he could hide her behind fae guards. But according to the rumors I'm hearing he's gone along with the rest of the fae."

"I heard the same thing. Although I have heard that there is still a presence in Ireland" said Maxwell. "From what I've heard of Brigant and his relationship to her, I can't see him standing by if he knew she was being abused." Maxwell thought about it for a few more minutes. "What about sending her out of Louisiana? Do you think that would cause any problems with Felipe?"

Pam smirked. "You know the answer to that! Felipe may not be using her at present, but she is still his shiny toy. He would never agree to her passing into another king's area."

Max nodded. He knew Pam was right. Look up the word 'possessive' in any dictionary and you would found a picture of a vampire. "Well, that limits our choices. I wouldn't trust any of the other sheriffs with her. They are Nevada through and through. It would be just Felipe's style to decide that she would be best protected in Nevada, now that she's been abandoned. We either build a place for her ourselves, or we can ask Herveaux."

Pam shook her head. "I'm not asking Herveaux for anything until I find out what happened with those guards."

"How long can we stall Ludwig?"

"Three.. maybe four days." Pam reached for the phone and called the pack master.

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Alcide wasn't happy to see Pam Ravenscroft appear on his caller ID. She was calling his personal cell number and that was usually bad news. He considered letting the call roll to voice mail, but then thought better of it. If it was important enough she could show up personally, and that might be worse.

"Greetings, Ice Princess. How are things in Adventureland?"

Pam rolled her eyes. "Fine, asshole. Did I catch you eating in Petsmart again? You should be more careful. Anywhere else in the country they call that shop lifting."

Alcide growled. He heard an answering rumble from Pam. "Shit," he thought. "She can't be staked soon enough." He put on his best party manners and said, "I assume that this isn't just a pleasant social call?"

"No. This is not social. This is business. In particular, the business of paying your worthless Pack money for years for something that was supposed to be guard service. "

And Pam waited. Alcide said nothing. "OK, dog. You can tell me what you are hiding or I can come and pull it out of you – literally."

Alcide looked down at his desk and tensed his jaw. The information that had been relayed to him two weeks prior by Brian was still being investigated. There were so many unanswered questions. Alcide had hoped to be in a stronger position for this conversation. Frankly, he couldn't understand why Pam hadn't called him earlier. "I'm assuming this is about Sookie."

"Well, it's nice to see all those Chinese additives haven't caused you permanent harm. Yes. Sookie. I'm assuming you're in a good place to have this conversation?"

Alcide looked around his home office. It was possible that someone was bugging his building. Frankly it wasn't that big a deal. If someone wanted to know where the Pack was running this month, or who was mating who, they were welcome to listen in. "Good enough."

"And?"

Alcide settled. "You know Sam asked our people to move farther away from the house. And we were only to patrol at night and not during working hours? I know you must have noticed the adjustments in the bill."

Alcide paused. Pam waited. So Alcide continued. "We didn't really notice what was going on. I mean it was all pretty routine for so long. It's in the middle of bumfuck nowhere. No night life. It really came down to three of my people doing the rotation. When April started volunteering to take extra shifts, and become team lead, we were kind of relieved. She was a bit of a hot head; got into trouble at her other jobs. But she seemed to be doing really well with this one."

Pam started to get a bad feeling about where this was headed. "Get to the point, doggie boy. I'm not interested in the War and Peace version. You have something nasty to say. You'd better spit is out before I decide to kill you just on principle."

Max raised his eyebrows. He could hear both sides of the conversation perfectly well.

"Well… it would appear that April was fucking Sam on the side. Maybe even during the time she was supposed to be guarding." Alcide could hear Pam growling over the phone. He rushed on, "Look, I had no way of knowing. Everything looked hunky dory. The other two, Brian and Jeff never saw anything out of place. Sookie looked okay. She was getting real thin. There was some kind of rumor that she had cancer. Not something you can just ask someone. "

Pam was furious. "Sure. Not like you knew her or anything. No reason to put yourself out there."

"Look dead girl, Sookie and I were friends once upon a time; before she became Mrs. Northman and Mrs. Merlotte. But what happens between a man and his wife is not my business. Sam may not have been a member of my Pack, but shifters and weres have an understanding. And it's not like Sookie was asking for help. With her track record, she could give serial killers a run for their money."

"So, the fact that your good buddy Merlotte was hitting on her was ok with you?" Pam could hear Alcide catch his breath.

"He was violent with her?" Pam could hear the catch in his voice. "Was this recent?"

Pam thought through his reaction. Somehow she didn't think that his concern was about Sookie. "No, Alcide. It was not new. According to the good doctor he'd been using her for punch practice for a while. I'd like to speak with your girl April. She might have an idea where Mr. Merlotte might be. Good friend Sammy and I have something to discuss"

There was a pause. Then she heard Alcide draw in a deep breath and let it out. "I would like that too. But April won't be talking to anyone anytime soon. She was supposed to be on three nights in a row, but then she didn't check in. We kind of let it slide until Brian went out to relieve her. Pam – it's been quiet out there for years. So, when Brian got out there he really didn't think anything of it." Alcide shifted in his chair. "He checked around, but he couldn't find her. He thought maybe she was shagging Sam somewhere. He said that there was something about the house that got him thinking, so he went up the door. That's when he realized that the house was empty. He let himself in – not like the door was locked.

He recognized your scent. And the doctor. That's when he called me."

"Why am I just hearing this?" Pam demanded.

"Because I really didn't know what to tell you. We are all trying to figure this out. I went out to the house and sniffed around. That's when we found April. She was buried out back near the cemetery. Someone had broken her neck. And Pam, there's something else you should know. There was at least one other vampire in the house. I didn't recognize the scent."

"Could you track Sam away from the house?"

"Sure. His scent was everywhere. In the house; around the house. Really no way to figure out what was old or new. But the strange vamp scent… that was new. Real new."

"If I gave you something to smell; something you could compare it to – do you think you could identify it?"

"Sure – if the original scent was still around. Sookie's house burned to the ground yesterday. It looked like an electrical fire."

Pam doubted it was an accident.


	6. Chapter 6 - A Persistent Motion

**NOTE**: Thank you for sticking with the story. Almost through setting the stage, and there is a Viking sighting. Thank you to Breathesgirl for her patient, gentle and spot on work as beta for this chapter. I hope you are enjoying the ride (NG)

**Shreveport:**

Alcide grabbed his iPhone. He scrolled through the contacts looking for Jason Stackhouse. The were panther had been helping the Pack in their search for Sookie Stackhouse. "At least I have some good news for someone," the pack master thought.

Speaking with Pam was such a cramp in the ass. Petsmart? Alcide smiled in spite of himself. He was definitely going to have to think up something crushing for their next conversation. The ring tone switched to the sound of Michele Stackhouse asking him to leave a message.

"Stackhouse? It's Herveaux. You can tell the police to call off the search. Pam has her. She's in the hospital, but should recover. I'll have someone contact you."

Alcide hit the end button and leaned back in his chair. He thought about April. She had been short and wiry and feisty. Telling her parents had been hard. She hadn't been a universal favorite. In fact, if he had to compare her to anyone, it would have been Jannalyn. April had had that same fire and aggressive in-your-face attitude about the world and her place in it. She would have been a great breeder. In retrospect, Alcide wasn't surprised that Sam had been attracted to her. She was just his type. Not for the first time, Alcide wondered where Sam Merlotte had run to.

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**Las Vegas:**

The technician completed transcribing the conversations for the day. Where she was able to identify those involved, she made the appropriate notes. For those that had used only first names, she added a page of probable options. She checked her work twice for errors. It didn't pay to make mistakes around here. Of course, the pay was good, and there was always a chance that someone would take a fancy to her and she could end up with a Vegas showgirl body forever. All in all – it was a risk worth taking.

She made a local print of the transcripts and walked toward Horst's office. Sandy Seacrest might be the business second for Felipe de Castro, but Horst was the head of the rest. If rumors were true, Horst might end up with all of it. The economy was not recovering. And as a result, Joe Public was not coming to Vegas for a fun-filled weekend. Revenues were down and tempers were short.

She knocked on the door.

"Enter." Horst looked up as the red-head walked through the door. He remembered her. She was the one pulling transcripts from the Shreveport area. Information was a wonderful thing. It took some payroll investment to employ his listening pool, but there were nuggets that had come through that had proven invaluable. There had been a suggestion to replace the humans with automated voice recognition software. But his King and he both believed that humans were more dependable than software or spies. At least most of the time. There had been instances where the devices had been discovered and mis-information fed. And occasionally there was an oversight or error in the transcription. As a result, Horst generally made an effort to cross-verify information when possible. It avoided embarrassing mistakes. Everyone knew that mistakes were generally fatal.

He held his hand out for the paper. "From the pack master's house?"

The red-head nodded. "Yes, Master. He was speaking with Pam Ravenscroft. He also left a message for someone named Stackhouse. He said that they could call off the search and that 'she' had been found."

"Nothing from the Fangtasia listening station?"

She shook her head. Horst hadn't expected anything different. Pam was a competent sheriff. Other than the fact that he didn't trust her, she was one of their best producers. She could close deals and she took appropriate risks. Most important – she wasn't sloppy. Too bad some of her contacts didn't take notes.

Horst scanned the page. In this instance, he was not worried about fact checking. Alcide Herveaux had demonstrated an almost reckless disregard for his own security. For the pack master to think that somehow he would be exempt from spying was ludicrous. Herveaux's outsized ego had played to their advantage for years.

"Good. Very good. Thank you for bringing this so quickly to my attention, Miss…"

"Candy," she said in a blushing rush.

"_Of course she is_," he thought. He fixed a smile on his face. "Well, Candy. You should be done working shortly. Perhaps you would like to join me once your shift finishes? I could reward you personally." He could hear her heart beat pick up. A light flush ran across her skin. Delicious.

"Of course, Master! I... I would love to!"

Horst made direct eye contact and broadened his smile. "Horst, Candy. You may call me Horst."

"Sure... Horst. I'll… well... I'll see you soon."

"Well, then. It's a date. Back to work!" He watched her turn and sway her way out of the office. Pathetic. She didn't match the magnificence of his matched donor pool. But variety did offer certain spice. And she did have lovely skin. Perhaps she would hold his interest beyond an hour. "Yes," he thought. "Far superior to software."

He picked up the phone and called his King's personal assistant. When the woman answered, he said "Where is he? I have something he will want to see."

"His majesty is in his garden. I will ask him if he has time for you. Please hold."

Horst smiled to himself. Yes. This information was most timely. Sam Merlotte had arrived in Vegas two days ago, looking for money and a place to stay.

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**Shreveport:**

Pam flexed her back and heard the satisfactory sound of her vertebrae cracking. She had been 'enthralling the vermin' for the past two hours. "_Some things never change_," she thought. Under her breath she said, "It's like being on exhibit at the zoo." She knew that the vampires would hear her. They heard everything.

She heard Thalia's breathy laugh. "That may be so, but in this zoo the creatures bite. Maybe you should think about this more as an alligator park." Pam turned her head slowly, until she zeroed in on the small vampire sitting in a corner booth across the bar. As usual, she was being buzzed by her fan club. They had stationed themselves at the surrounding tables. Those who were bolder would walk slowly by her table at regular intervals, watching her with their peripheral vision. Thalia extended her fangs and hissed dramatically, illustrating her point.

Pam smiled in return and nodded. "'_Well_,'" she thought. "_'It could be worse_.'" For one thing, Pam now dressed as she wished. Eric had insisted she wear an endless parade of Morticia and Vampire whore-inspired costumes. He knew that it had been torture. She could still feel the creep of cheap polyester and rayon on her skin. And the smell! The chemicals used in the manufacturing never went away. It made her smell too. And then that smug bastard would sit there, in his designer jeans and Egyptian cotton shirts and laugh at her! Not that it had been all one-sided. The time she treated the inside crotch of his favorite black jeans with nettle came to mind. Odorless and very effective. Especially since he never seemed to wear undergarments. The way he leaped up… Pam smiled broadly.

She missed him.

Indira and Thalia were with her tonight. Maxwell had the night off. He was going to visit Sookie. Pam had been to the hospital to see her a couple of times. She couldn't tell if Sookie was happy to see her or not. She had responded to some questions, and there had been a weak smile. But for the most part, Sookie had seemed to drift in and out. One minute she would be looking at Pam. The next she would be miles away.

Pam had asked her about Sam; did she know where he was. Sookie had shaken her head. When Pam asked why Sookie didn't contact her; let her know what was happening, Sookie's eyes had filled with tears and she had seemed to shrink into herself. Then she had started rocking herself in bed. It was like she just checked out. Eventually Pam became alarmed and found a nurse. They had administered a sedative. Sookie had calmed then and slipped into something that looked like a half sleep.

"What was that about?" Pam had asked.

The nurse had answered her in that cool, detached professional way that medical people get. "It could have been anything. She has good days and bad. The doctor thinks she needs a long rest; to get her feet back under her. Someplace she can feel safe again."

That had been the day Ludwig told her there was a timeline on getting Sookie out of the hospital.

"Two days and ticking," thought Pam. "Two days to find somewhere safe for Sookie."

One thing Pam knew. If she removed Sookie from the state Felipe would punish her. She hadn't heard anything directly from the king or his people, but she knew it as surely as she knew that sunshine and vampires didn't mix. In fact, she was probably due punishment anyway. Sookie was damaged and on her watch. If Felipe was looking for an excuse to make her miserable, this would be a good one.

But Pam also knew with certainty that if Sookie stayed anywhere in de Castro's territory her future was bleak. He would find out about this. He would decide that she was best protected elsewhere. And once he realized that she was damaged and couldn't be used, he would find a way to end her. One more inconvenient loose end wrapped up. After all, he may have consented to the contract between Freyda and Eric, but his sole liability was as a signing witness. He had no legal obligation to abide by the rules. That protection was Freyda's responsibility. Of course, Felipe had extended his personal promise, but that had never seemed to bother him overmuch in the past. He had screwed with Sookie's head either directly or by interfering with Eric and didn't waste breath apologizing.

Pam realized she had made a decision. Years ago, before Eric had called her to help with the club, she had lived in Minnesota. Maude, the Queen and Pam couldn't be more different. Still, they had formed a friendship. Pam would call her from the office once the club closed.

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**Las Vegas:**

Felipe lounged on the settee. The soft suede felt rich against his skin. The sound of water was all around him. This was his favorite place. Every plant in this walled garden bloomed white. Some of the specimens were very rare. All were either night blooming or remained open once the sun set. The dryness of the desert air robbed most gardens of their scent. The odor simply couldn't linger without humidity. The gardener had addressed the concern by installing dozens of small fountains and basins throughout the garden. There were also misters that regularly pushed out clouds of vapor. The overall effect was a banquet for the nose and eye. For some vampires, the smell of all the flowers was overwhelming. But for de Castro it was like returning home. It made him recall warm nights in Spanish courtyards. It made him feel young.

Felipe could feel the shift in the air that signaled the arrival of Angie. While it was not unheard of, his having a vampire as a personal assistant was unusual. But Angie was many things to the King. He smelled her scent. She wore a blend that purposely complimented the floral scent of this place. De Castro smiled as he opened his eyes.

"Yes, Angie?"

"I apologize for interrupting your time. Horst is requesting an audience."

Felipe turned his head toward her. "Any idea what is so important?"

"He seemed excited. He asked to see you even though he knew you were here."

That caught Felipe's attention. Horst understood his feelings about this place and was generally considerate of his King's need for memories and solitude. "Well. I suppose you should ask him to join me." De Castro shifted his feet to the ground and sat up. He reached for the robe at the foot of the chair. It wasn't really necessary to cover himself, but there was something psychological about not appearing too available to minions; even trusted ones. It allowed them to assume too much.

Felipe reached for the goblet of Royalty. He did not believe in this mainstreaming trend. He made no pretensions of drinking synthetic blood. It was offensive and simply dishonest. He was vampire. He was meant to eat in a certain way, and it was his right to do so. His donor pool was of the finest and they were regularly screened and replaced. Only the best.

There had been a suggestion from a human representing the Nevada Gaming Control Board that his donors be registered, or that he use the donor pool through the Federal Bureau of Vampire Affairs. De Castro had smiled and thanked his visitor for his suggestion and promised to look into it. He had then instructed Horst to place a more promising candidate in the Governor's path once that human's four year term on the Control Board expired. It had been yet another assignment Horst had handled with skill and a deft touch. The appointment had gone well, and the relationship between the casinos and the Gaming Control Board had never been better. "Yes," thought de Casto, "Horst continues to prove his worth."

Seacrest, on the other hand, was not performing. While de Castro understood that the state of the economy in the United States was not her fault, the declining revenues were problematic. The casinos and real estate were Sandy's job. Jobless rates and Indian casino competition sounded like so many excuses. The latest tactless suggestion had been that he consider diversifying. Recently, de Castro had made a mild inquiry to Horst, sounding out his interest in taking a 'more active role' in the business side. Horst had been vocal in his praise for Sandy, making clear he didn't consider himself in her league when it came to making money. De Castro had seen it for what it was. Horst was simply waiting for Seacrest to bottom out. Then, if one of her plans should start to gain traction, he'd turn on her and claim credit. It was an interesting ploy. De Castro was looking forward to seeing how he handled it. Of course, if Horst did take over, Seacrest would have to be made finally dead. It would provide a strong message to others about the price of failure.

"Your majesty?" Horst stepped closer. He moved slowly so as not to startle his King. "I have interesting news. News, that you may find most vital in view of the arrival of Mr. Merlotte."

De Castro nodded, indicating to Horst that he continue. "According to what we've picked up from the Shreveport pack master, Sookie Stackhouse is in a hospital. Pamela Ravenscroft is aware of this fact and has secured her. It would appear that Merlotte was responsible for some part of the damage. He may have also killed a were that was part of the Shreveport pack."

"Well, things aren't sounding good for Mr. Merlotte, are they? He takes money from me and then damages one of my assets? I paid him to spy on her and keep her sidelined. I did not pay him to disable her." De Castro looked up at Horst. "There is something else?"

Horst smiled. "You are perceptive as always, my King. Yes. The pack master, Herveaux, told your sheriff that there was another vampire in the house; an unidentified vampire. Since we have not ordered anyone to get close, and Ravenscroft didn't know, I think we should consider other possibilities."

"Ah. Someone who might wish her ill? Someone who might wish to make her suffer?" De Castro smiled tightly. "My dear Horst, could it be possible that we know anyone who meets that description?"

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**Lake Aluma:**

Freyda stood up and stretched, her head thrown back, her shoulders pulled back to accentuate her perfect posture. She slowly rotated her head on her long, slender neck, listening to the pop and movement of her bones and sinews. She was a beautiful woman; she knew it down to her toes. She was reminded regularly by every person she met. She saw the appreciation, the envy and the lust in their eyes. She could make powerful men lean forward, straining to catch each word she spoke. She noticed how the women who met her copied her style, her mannerisms, her hair color.

Yes. She was an amazing vampire. Everyone said so. Everyone except one person; the vampire she had married. Eric Northman.

Six years ago she had to ruthlessly prune the guest lists for her dinners. She was pursued by vampires, weres and humans. Everyone wanted to spend time with her. Her front office received daily calls begging for an interview with the most fascinating woman in Oklahoma. She had her pick. Vanity Fair had asked for an opportunity to do a feature story. They offered to send the famous Fran Leibowitz to handle the photography. David Letterman wanted to get her on his show. Oprah had expressed an interest. 60 Minutes had asked about putting together a 15 minute spot on her rise to the national spotlight. There were invitations to after parties and awards ceremonies. She had paparazzi following her, writing flattering articles and naming her one of the best dressed women in the world.

When she had announced her marriage to Eric Northman there had been a feeding frenzy of excitement. She was offered money and privilege for the exclusive rights to their story. She remembered how excited she had been. Over one thousand years old; he was almost unique in North America – a true warrior from a warrior's age. It was every dream she ever had coming true.

Within months of his arrival and their marriage, the circle of those who pursued her shrunk. Now, it was sometimes hard to fill all the seats when she hosted events.

It was not her fault. He had been so difficult. It was only natural that she would be out of sorts. There had been a couple of events where she may have been ungracious. But he was infuriating. He refused to converse with anyone. He acted like she was an embarrassment. It wasn't that he corrected her. But he would get this look on his face like she was a bad taste in his mouth. Half the time when she confronted him, he ignored her; the other half he would ask her to let him go, acting like he was being held against his will. She made a point of never asking him anything personal in front of people anymore. You never knew what he would say or do.

Freyda looked across the hall. The guests invited for this evening's concert were starting to rise and head toward the door. And there, in the corner, staring out the window was her magnificent husband. Just like every other event he attended with her. He might as well be a doorstop.

How had it come to this? How could this be in any way her fault?

She had come to the attention of the King of Oklahoma when she was twenty and fresh out of college. It had taken a fair amount of maneuvering and ass kissing to ingratiate herself. She had made sure that she was well practiced in all the sexual arts. She had become a witty and sophisticated conversationalist. She had studied all the King's favorite topics. She could hold her own on subjects as varied as environmental farming to Dadaism. She had delighted him, teased him, challenged him. She had asked him not to turn her himself so that she need not worry about ever having to leave him. And he had agreed, asking his second to become her maker. Of course, she had already planned and paid for the assassination. That left a fair amount of her training as a new vampire to the King. It had been a calculated move, but it had served to make him even more under her spell. Within one year she was able to kill him and took the throne for her own. She never looked back.

She remembered the first time she saw Eric Northman. It was in Rhodes at the Amun Summit. Of course, she'd heard of him. A vampire that old, it was hard to not hear tales. He stood up on the stage, officiating at a marriage. His hair, his face. He was gorgeous. She knew that she had to have him. She had never seen anyone else to compare and, everyone knew, she deserved the best.

When Appius had arrived in Aluma Lake, passing through on his way to Louisiana from Las Vegas, she had felt sure it was fate. She had been impressed with his strength and cunning. She had invited him to share her bed, and he had entertained her. She reflected that the experience had been somewhat lacking. Appius had also wanted the boy to watch. "Broadening his horizons," Appius had said. It was clear that the bum boy was seriously disturbed. Within hours of their arrival he had already killed one of her servants. It had been inconvenient, and there was some amount of arranging that was required to make sure that the event didn't come to anyone's attention.

Freyda remembered how grateful she felt that she lived in this sparsely populated town. The residents were generally older and busy with their own lives. While this part of the world was technically the 'Wild West," the taint of country living was not really a factor. What had attracted her was the high standard of living. For Oklahoma, people here had money. Homes were large and well spaced. Her own compound fit right in.

During the weeks of Appius's stay Freyda had opened the conversation, suggesting the match between herself and Appius' child. He had been cagey at first, but as time passed, he seemed to warm to the idea. In fact, the more she got to know Appius, the more interested he seemed to become. At one point after a rather brutal love-making session, she had asked him why he became so keen. He told her that he was sensing a growing unhealthy amount of emotion from his child. There was some emotional turmoil. Of course, that kind of behavior would not be tolerated. Appius had created a warrior and that included standards. It was Appius' responsibility to make sure that Eric met his potential.

Freyda offered Appius full residence in her kingdom. He would have unfettered access to her court. Of course, as Eric's maker, she would expect that he would direct Eric's actions; a power behind the consort. And if that meant sharing the bed with both men, Freyda was open to that as well.

The child, Appius' companion Alexei, gave her pause. With the public life she would be assuming, Alexei would need to be closely monitored. Appius assured her that Alexei could be controlled. He told her that once Eric and Alexei were together, Alexei would improve.

Freyda was sure that Eric would be thrilled with the arrangement. After all, why wouldn't he want to be out of that backwater swamp? What could be more attractive than a beautiful, rich, powerful consort? Of course he would be anxious to assume a positon that would place him one step from the throne. Since his maker was still alive, he couldn't himself hope to be a King. But all in all, this would be a big step up from his current circumstances.

The deal was struck and Appius continued to Louisiana to give the Viking the happy news. But before he'd left, Appius had passed along one other secret. It was a secret he had gathered at Felipe's court. He thought it might come in handy in future.

Felipe had inherited a spy from Sofie-Ann LeClerq. It was someone in plain sight who had been under the former Queen's influence for years. He had been told that there had been some kind of trouble in Texas, and it had caused the spy to move to Louisiana. Sofie-Ann had bought his marker and him. This asset had cleared the way for Bill Compton, the Queen's procurer, to make contact with the area telepath. He was still in the area and not above doing some double-dealing. Appius planned on using him when he reached the state to get the lay of the land. His name was Sam Merlotte and he was located in Bon Temps, not an hour from Shreveport. He had a local business and connections with Eric Northman.

It hadn't taken long for Freyda to realize that something was not right. When she received news that Appius had been killed in Shreveport she reached out to Eric's King, Felipe de Castro. Of course, Felipe had been very supportive of her claim. She had the signed contract. All had been agreed. But the Viking was not returning her calls.

Felipe had made a call on her behalf. After that, the Viking had engaged in conversation. But it was uncomfortable. He refused to visit. He refused to visit her.

Felipe told her about Sookie Stackhouse. Supposedly they were bonded and married by vampire law. Felipe assured her that the whole thing was a sham. It was well known that the telepath and Northman maintained separate living arrangements. When Freyda found out that the telepath maintained a residence in Bon Temps she remembered the information Appius had shared. She contacted Sam Merlotte. She offered him money and privileges if he would provide her information. The picture he painted gave Freyda some assurance that the connection between Eric and the telepath was little more than a fuck and feed. Sam told her that Eric was sleeping with her as a way of securing her talents. It was known that the woman had a preference for vampires. Eric Northman was one of a number who could claim having shared the woman's bed. She was living with two male fairies who shared her bed as well. There had been a weretiger and who knew what else traipsing through her bedroom.

There was nothing that she heard that gave Freyda the impression that there was any impediment to their joining. The Viking was clearly holding out for better terms.

Then Freyda had traveled to Louisiana. Felipe had taken her. The King had insisted on Eric and his progeny being in attendance on both of them. Within hours of their arrival, Freyda knew. She knew that Eric Northman was not using Sookie Stackhouse. He was in love with her. In spite of everything he had been taught by his maker; everything he knew about being a strong vampire, he was not conflicted about his emotions in any way. What was worse, his progeny were also fond of the telepath.

Freyda had immediately gone to Bon Temps. She had run through the rain to see for herself what it was that had captured the Viking. Thinking back on that evening, Freyda realized it was the first time she had ever felt insecure around another woman. And that memory made her angry. Freyda remembered the exact moment she decided that Sookie Stackhouse needed to die. If the telepath had not acted so quickly to rescind her invitation, it would have already been done.

Eric had known. She didn't think that the Stackhouse woman told him. But the vampire Bubba, who had warned Sookie that night of her arrival. He may have told the Viking.

The nature and tenor of the negotiation changed after that. Freyda shared her concerns and her findings with Felipe. The King then went on the offensive with Northman, using the Stackhouse woman to hammer better terms. Freyda had felt herself the winner. Northman had agreed to an extra hundred years of marriage in exchange for assurances that his lover would be allowed to die naturally. Freyda had been sure that Eric would come to his senses once he was removed from her presence.

To make sure, Freyda had offered Sam a bonus if he seduced and secured the woman. Between Bill and Sam they had done a credible job creating doubt. Freyda had been able to see for herself the conflict and self-loathing that the Stackhouse woman's betrayal had caused Eric. She was sure it was just a matter of time.

But it hadn't happened. Sam had slept with the telepath and made clear to everyone that she was in his bed and happy about it. Eric had not abandoned her.

Sam asked her to marry him. She agreed. There was a big ceremony. Freyda had made a point of bringing the information to Eric. But instead of becoming angry and moving on, Eric had become even more withdrawn.

He acted like somehow Freyda was to blame for Sookie's betrayal. But Freyda knew she'd done nothing more than push temptation in the way. The telepath had done the rest. If the Stackhouse woman was so stupid that she was willing to believe someone as transparent as Sam Merlotte, that was her failure; it had nothing to do with the Queen.

Years had passed and with each small piece of information or snippet of gossip, Eric had become more of a stranger to her. When they did speak, it was usually out of anger or necessity. Freyda had tried everything; seduction, temptation, threats. She'd even tried painting herself in fairy blood. The result had been terrifying and she'd been damaged. And so they practiced détente. She ran the kingdom. He served as her bodyguard on public and social events.

Events like the concert this evening.

When their guests were scheduled to arrive, he had been waiting for her in the hallway that led to her suite of rooms. He maintained his own set of rooms at the other end of the complex. He was dressed appropriately. When she approached him, holding out her hands, he drew himself up and formally bowed.

"Come husband," she had said, touching his shoulder. "Surely you can find a kiss on the cheek for your wife?" And she had smiled as he straightened himself.

He had looked down at her. She remembered when thinking about how he stood taller than her had thrilled her. Now it just made him more unapproachable. "Do you ask this of me?"

"Well," she had almost felt herself squirming under his gaze. " I would appreciate it. It would be a nice gesture." The look on his face had been bored. Then he had lifted his eyes so that he was looking over her shoulder. She turned, thinking he had seen something. Then she realized he was just waiting for her to start walking down the hall so he could fall into place behind her and to the left. Freyda felt her temper rise. "Why do you persist? Am I not beautiful? Are you not well treated?"

Eric continued to stare past her. He made no motion that would suggest he had heard her at all.

Freyda's fingers curled into fists. Her jaw clenched. "You are just lucky Appius Ocella is not still among us. He would punish you for treating me this way!"

Eric's eyes were suddenly on hers. She could feel his rage. "You don't deserve to call him by his name! He was a hard man, but he was never dishonest about what he was. He taught me everything I know; he made me…"

"Yes, made you bound to me! If you really honor him you would honor the spirit as well as the letter of the contract. You would bond with me and treat me with more than the barest courtesy. You go out of your way to embarrass me in front of our guests. You treat me like I'm nothing."

"You forget yourself, Freyda. You bought a consort. Just like you would buy a chair or a table. And you are due no more from me that you receive from them." He was suddenly very close to her, his fangs descended. "I give you all the courtesy you are due. And when my bill of sale expires, I will stop. Never doubt it."

Freyda bit her lip, her anger giving way to hurt. "Isn't there anything about me you like? Anything?"

He stepped back from her, straightened himself and moved his gaze back down the hallway. "No."

"Why?" Freyda hated that her voice had a high, whining sound. She almost sounded like she was begging.

Eric glanced at her again, and she saw something that turned her stomach. He thought she was beneath him. He pitied her. Freyda drew herself up, jutted her chin and walked down the hall toward their guests. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Later, when she had returned to her room, she opened her laptop. She brought up one of the files that had been emailed to her by Merlotte over the years. When she had received the first one, she had sent him a small bonus. It had worked like Pavlov. He sent a film. She sent money.

In each of the films, Merlotte was sexually punishing Sookie. Freyda found they always made her smile.


	7. Chapter 7 - A Freshening Breeze

Welcome back to the story. I'd like to thank my funny and wonderful beta, Breathesgirl. And I thank you for following this story.

**Shreveport:**

Pam leaned back in her office chair. It had been a long night. Business had been brisk. Even though she wasn't obligated to hold court anymore, she still spent her hours in the chair. She told anyone who asked that is was market research. In reality, it made her feel close to her maker.

Indira had headed home. Cash out and receipts were completed. Thalia was lounging on the office couch across from her, giving Pam the reptile stare. Pam really had no excuse to delay the call any longer.

Earlier in the evening Pam had listened to Max's voice mail. "Saw Sookie. She's the same. Ludwig says to tell you tick tick." It left her stewing. She started when she heard Thalia growl.

"Well, blondie. It's up to you. But whatever it is, you should probably just get it done." Thalia leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knee and fixing Pam with a stare. "I can guess what it's about. Waiting never makes these things easier. Stop playing with it. Pull the scab and let it drain."

Pam nodded, both to herself and to Thalia. She jerked her chin toward the white noise box and started dialing the private number of Queen Maude, ruler of Minnesota. Thalia switched the box on, then looked pointedly at the door. Pam shook her head and Thalia re-seated herself on the couch.

Pam heard a familiar, booming voice before the second ring. "Oh goodness! Pamela D, is it really you?" Pam felt the smile overtake her face. There was something about hearing Maude's Midwest accent that made her feel warm and happy.

When Eric had released her, Pam had not known what to do. She had felt uneasy. No, that was an understatement. She had felt adrift. Eric had always taken care of her; determined her course of action, critiqued and approved her plans. He had been a doting and attentive maker.

In retrospect he had been overprotective in many ways. Not when it came to physical punishment, though. He had aggressively trained her in the use of her hands and weapons. She had spent countless hours sparring with him. When she started to hold her own, he hired a variety of fighting masters to further her training. There had been days that she thought she couldn't possibly heal from the damage she sustained. When she complained about her injuries, Eric would throw his head back and laugh that great, booming, infectious laugh. He would call her out, telling her if she was insisting on whining she should think about joining a knitting group. Pam knew now that Eric had known her all along. He had seen the killer in her, lurking below the surface.

Pam never felt more alive than she did when she engaged in physical combat. There was something about the ability to fight hard that appealed to her on a fundamental level. No. That wasn't it. Pam knew that the joy she felt in battle had its roots in her upbringing as a lady in a strict, Victorian household. In those moments when she was circling her opponent, landing blows and gauging weaknesses, she knew that she experienced deep and profound gratitude. Had she not become vampire; had Eric Northman not found her and made a decision to change her life, she would never have known what she was truly meant to be: a warrior woman; terrible and glorious.

Things were so easy when she was fighting. Things were not so easy or clear when the battle was over. Having Eric cut her loose had felt like the end of her world. She remembered sitting in a small, light tight crypt in Savannah, wondering what she would do. She knew she was smart. She knew she had talent. She knew she loved the better things in life that money could buy.

Eric had not left her destitute. She had an ample bank account and introductions. She supposed she was in a stronger position than most young creatures when they are pushed into the world by their parents.

Over the next few days, Pam had made notes, recalling everything she could about the list of names Eric had provided. She made lists of what she felt she could offer them and what she thought they might be able to offer her. Each evening she slipped out, gliding through the live oak and Spanish moss to the squares of the city to feed. Finally the list came down to two names: Minnesota and New York. In the end, Pam had chosen Minnesota, not because it was clearly the best choice, but because Maude was female and New York was ruled by a male.

Maude had not been at all what she had expected. Pam had met Sofie-Ann LeClerq, the Queen of Louisiana during her time with Eric. She assumed that all Queens must look like her. Sofie-Ann was small and elegant and polished. Maude was tall, and big boned and looked like she stepped out of a Zane Grey novel. Unlike Sofie-Ann, who had been turned when she was barely a teenager, Maude had been turned later in life. She wasn't old, but there were crows feet around her eyes when she smiled, which was often. She had laugh lines around her mouth. Her red hair was generally pulled back in a braid or a messy bun low on the back of her neck. If a person thought that because Maude enjoyed laughter she could be taken lightly, they were soon dispelled of that notion. The twinkling blue eyes hid a huge intellect, and Maude didn't suffer fools.

Maude accepted Pam's pledge of fealty. She gave Pam a place in her court helping with the training of Maude's fighters. Pam suspected that Maude's offer had more to do with keeping a close eye on her newest subject than any particular interest or affection.

Maude made a point of inviting Pam to talk with her during her 'family' audiences. It was one of the idiosyncrasies of the Minnesota ruler that had struck Pam. Maude had a formal throne room, but she saved it for state occasions. Most of her work was done in what could only be called a kitchen. There was a large table surrounded by comfortable chairs. There were commercial grade appliances. Unlike most vampires, Maude was interested in human food. She was heavily invested in both agri-business and the food preparation industry. She did draw the line at livestock. Maude had told Pam that in her opinion vampires growing food animals was a media disaster waiting to happen, and then she had winked. It was not unusual for there to be a group of humans invited to sit around the table and taste test something that was under development. Maude said she liked to have the first-person feedback. Pam had been shocked to see the Queen stand up and make a pot of coffee for guests. Later, Pam had found out that before she was turned, Maude had been the matriarch of a large family. Being surrounded by other beings and cooking gave Maude a sense of peace.

Apparently it also gave the Queen the time and exposure she needed to appropriately read most situations. Her ability to interpret body language and to see the message between the lines was uncanny.

Over time, Maude and Pam had found that they shared interests. Both read extensively and they bonded over Jane Austen (loved it) and the Brontes (did not). Pam had no formal experience with food preparation, but she quickly discovered that she had a flair for finding the right words and graphics to create new and visually compelling marketing materials for Maude's new products. Pam found herself graduated from the practice yard to the marketing department. Maude teased Pam about her infatuation with designers and high heeled shoes. Pam teased Maude about her preference for flannel shirts and work boots. While Maude was a tireless worker, Pam relished making time to enjoy herself. They were yin and yang, but in their differences they developed a true and lasting affection for each other.

Pam knew that if she loved this woman any less, she would not have picked up the phone to make this call.

"Yes, my Queen! It is too good to hear your voice."

"So formal, sweetie! Tells me you have business on your mind. But keep it to yourself for a tick. You owe me some gossip and a chat and I don't mean about the weather."

Pam smiled. "You're right. It has been too long."

"Felipe keeping you hopping? I can't believe I won't see you in Nashville. Silence is like a family member."

Pam knew that this was code asking if the line was secure. "Silence is golden." She could almost see Maude throwing up her feet on the next chair and leaning back for a 'jaw' with her favorite girl.

"Good. Then what is up with that oily bastard? He had one hell of a nerve pulling apart the territories the way he did. I can't begin to tell you the hornet's nest he's stirred up. There's crazy talk all up and down the Mississippi. Did you know he tripled the port rates in New Orleans? I'm surprised Isaiah didn't pull out his pig-sticker and head to Vegas to end him personally. Course if he did, I'd be right behind him to dance in that cock-sucker's entrails. It's going to be all the talk, and it's headed for a fight. You can see the writing on the wall clear as day."

Pam couldn't help but grin. She could just see her friend stomping in vampire goo, spinning round and round. "Fortunately, I'm insulated up here. I send reports and money. He dithers about appointing a replacement for Victor. He gave it to Red Rita for a couple of years. It was a disaster. She can't figure out how to make Arkansas profitable, much less two states. I guess she's still it technically, but we're pretty much on our own. All the business stuff flows in one direction, and then de Castro sends his enforcer to rattle cages every few months. "

"Well, you keep your head down, Pam. He may be a buffoon, but he's as mean as they come. He wouldn't think twice about ending you. Make no mistake."

Pam took an unncecessary breath. She found herself meeting Thalia's eyes. "Well," she started. "I may be in a bit of trouble. And I'm hoping you might be able to lend a hand."

There was a long pause. Pam waited. But so did Maude. When it became clear Maude wasn't going to ask, Pam continued. "When Eric was here, he was in a relationship with a human. A telepath."

Maude jumped in. "Sookie Stackhouse. The Rhodes Summit girl. That's old news. What does this have to do with you?"

"Over the years, we became friends. I promised Eric I would look out for her." Pam paused. With her eyes on Thalia's she told Maude briefly the story. She told her about Sookie rejecting Eric. She told her about her marrying Sam. When she told her about finding Sookie in the house literally on death's door she heard Maude's hiss. "Bottom line is I need a place to move her. And I need someone with chops to sponsor her for treatment at some exclusive place up north.."

"Sanctum," Maude finished for her. "Pam. I never told you how sorry I was to hear about Miriam. My heart bled for you." Pam felt a sharp pain at her friend's words. The failure and loss she had felt at Miriam's death still caught her at unexpected times. "Sweetie," the Minnesota vampire continued, "I can understand how you would feel that you have to do something for Sookie; that you can't fail another loved one. But Pamela, listen closely. Any move you make here will be at your own peril. This is exactly the kind of thing that will see you to your final death."

Pam felt her throat closing. "But Maude…"

"No, you listen to me and listen good. Sometimes bad things come to good people. Your friend had choices. Sounds like she made bad ones. Do not throw your life away trying to save something that is probably over and done with. If you spirit her out of the state, Felipe will kill you and there won't be one hand raised to help. If I take her in, Felipe will feel obligated to try and cripple me."

Pam closed her eyes. She couldn't look at Thalia any more. She found her head bowing under the weight of her sadness. After a minute Maude's voice came over the line. "Pam? Are you still there?"

"Yes. Yes I'm still here. What do I do?"

"Nothing. Pam, I know this is hard and runs against everything you feel right now. She is a human. Her life was always going to be over at some point. She could have chosen Eric. She didn't. She could have chosen you. She didn't. I know she's hurting and that makes you hurt." Pam could hear the woman on the other end of the line shift. "You are like my own daughter, Pam. I care about you more than I can say. The thought of spending eternity without having another chance to see your questionable choices in footwear is just sad. Please Pam. Please don't do something stupid. I can't help you. Eric can't help you."

Pam nodded. "I hear you. I'll… I'll think about it."

Maude's voice was sharp. "Pam, you listen to your Maude. I'm coming to Jackson in a couple of days. Russell and Bartlett want to do a little pre-planning for the Summit. What if I swing by to see you. We'll meet somewhere neutral and away from nosey snoopers. What do you say?"

Pam bit her lower lip. Then she nodded. "Sure. That would be nice."

"Pam. Promise me you won't do anything rash. Promise me my Pamela Darling."

"I promise," Pam told her. The phone disconnected. Pam looked up and realized Thalia had left.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Jackson:**

The movement of their retinue from one state to another was never without some fuss. Of course, there was little about Russell and Bartlett's relationship that was usual. In a usual state marriage, the monarchs would reside in their own states, only visiting each other on a predetermined schedule. Russell and Bartlett defied that tradition. They loved spending time together and had committed to figuring out how to split time between both their kingdoms.

They loved the feel of Indiana with its wide vistas and its open, honest vibe. But they also loved to return to their more formal plantation home in Jackson. Things were unpacked and business was due to start. They would be hosting a few of their fellow monarchs in just a few days – an informal at-home they were calling it.

Bartlett was in high spirits as he descended the curving staircase. He saw Russell standing below, awaiting him. "What is it Russ? You have a look."

Russell waited until Bartlett was beside him, then kissed his cheek. "Why don't you come with me into the study. There's something you need to see."

Bartlett's eyebrows raised, but he followed Russell into the office space. There, standing near the fire was Thalia. Of course Bartlett recognized her. It would be the rare vampire in their world who didn't. He stopped closer to the door, not wanting to get too close. He wondered if she was there to kill them.

Russell continued forward until he was standing before Thalia. "Please repeat for my fellow monarch what you have told me."

Thalia bowed formally to them both. "I am here with an offer of fealty if we can reach terms."

Bartlett looked at Russell. "Terms?"

Russell looked at Thalia. She remained bowed before them. "It would seem that Thalia here, along with Bubba have kidnapped the Stackhouse woman from a hospital in Shreveport. She wants us to stand as sponsors for Sanctum. Thalia won't tell me exactly where the telepath is, but she assures me that if we refuse her offer, no one will be the wiser."

"Oh my," Bartlett said. He crossed to a chair and sat down.

Russell gestured to Thalia, indicating she should rise.

"Russ, if we do this, it will be seen as a slap at de Castro," Bartlett stated. "He will suspect we engineered it."

Russell shrugged. "He may think that, but I do have some history with the Stackhouse woman. It would be logical that she might find her way here to ask for help. And there is nothing in place currently that declares her a formal asset of Felipe's kingdom. In fact, my understanding is that the whole point of the Oklahoma indenture was to declare her not an asset of any kingdom."

Bartlett looked at Russell. "You are really going to do this? Felipe will be furious."

"Yes," Russell agreed. "Won't that be too bad." The shorter man turned to Thalia. "Well Thalia, take a knee."

Later that evening as the monarchs lay in bed, they talked about the odd turn of events. "Do you think that the Viking still cares for her?"

Russell looked up at his lover's face. "I'll bet you a Tesla that he does. Nothing else about the arrangement and his behavior makes sense otherwise."

"Hmm. I'll take that bet and see you a Cayenne." Bartlett ran his fingers lightly through Russells hair. "You know, if she is leverage this could all work to our benefit."

Russell kissed then nipped Bartlett's nipple. He smiled, "Yes, all good things come to those with pure hearts. And ours," he stretched up to capture Bartlett's lips, "Ours are the purest."

Bartlett sighed and relaxed into Russell's arms. "So it's all arranged. Lydia is coming herself to take the woman back with her. Thalia will start work immediately as part of our bodyguard."

"And Bubba has agreed to stay with us and sing for our guests. Yes, my darling. Everything is going very well."


	8. Chapter 8 - Safe Harbor

**NOTE:** Welcome back to our story. Thank you for your reviews. They are much appreciated. If you are enjoying, take a minute to thank my wonderful beta, Breathesgirl.

**Shreveport:**

It hadn't made a lot of sense. The light had turned on and the nurse had been bundling me up in a blanket. The oxygen tubes were removed from my face.

"Watch your head, Sookie. " Then the same voice said, but not to me, "I've given her a sedative. She should sleep for you. How far will you travel?"

There was an answer, but I couldn't understand it. I was being pulled across the bed. My feet were kind of dragging behind and my slipper came off my foot. I could feel my toes hit the air.

"Toes," I said. And I was smiling. Then the other slipper was off and there were socks on my feet; warm, fleecy socks. I rolled my eyes up and I swear I was looking at Elvis. "Hi," I told him.

"Well hi back at ya, Miss Sookie," he said. And he smiled really wide. "Boy, Mr. Bill and Mr. Eric would sure be worried if they saw you like this. You sure are skinny."

And somewhere deep down I didn't think this was really a dream. "Bubba?"

"Course it is, Miss Sookie! But don't you worry none. I got you." And he did. He was carrying me like I was a feather, all bride-style. I must have slept then. When I woke up I was in a car. We were driving in the night and there were highway lights that passed over my face as I stared out the window. Bubba was holding me close and he was humming. I tried to hum with him, but I never could carry a tune.

"You alright, Miss Sookie?" he asked. I nodded, but I couldn't hold my eyes open. "Well, you just get yourself a little sleep. Tell you what. I'll just sing you a little lullaby." I remember Bubba singing _Don't Be Cruel_ all soft and low before my eyes closed again.

**Las Vegas:**

Sam fidgeted. He had been sitting in a chair across from the King's empty desk for over an hour. A part of him realized it was deliberate. The whole waiting thing was designed to produce the nervous anxiety he was experiencing. Knowing it helped to take the edge off but it didn't totally remove the feeling.

He had made it to Vegas days ago. He immediately presented himself at the palace gate. He had been ushered in and provided a suite of rooms. Of course, they had locked the door. He really hadn't expected anything different.

He had thought about trying to hide in Texas. He figured it wasn't like they would really look for him. But then he'd talked with his mom. She reminded him that vampires never forget and that loyalty is the one thing you can count on saving your ass. So he kept traveling west.

He knew from experience what vampires could do. He'd been working for them for years.

His temper had got the best of him. He had liked the girl. She was a lynx, and they ran together frequently. But she had a habit of sassing him that he hadn't liked. He had told her and told her to behave herself. But it just seemed to make her more mouthy. They had a fight and his hand just struck her by accident. She had turned on him and attacked. He had defended himself. That was all. The Pack hadn't seen it that way. They wanted her hospital bills and restitution. Sam had run from the state, but they had tracked him down. He had pointed out that he was no good to them dead. Next thing he knew, he was on his knees pledging fealty to the vampire Queen of Louisiana and her slimy child, Andre.

It had been just dumb luck that Sophie-Ann had picked up his marker from that Texas pack and that Hadley had come into her life all around the same time. The Queen had wanted to know about her new main squeeze's family. She was interested in Hadley so she was interested in everything about her. She had given Sam the seed money, told him to stay low, report regularly, and maybe she would allow him to work off his debt in a few years. It wasn't really an offer he could refuse. After all, the Queen had his mother's address. Refusal would mean direct and possibly fatal consequences for her. It was the last thing Sam wanted. She was living a quiet life, keeping her two-natured side a secret from her husband. She had no idea that he was in trouble and he wanted to keep it that way.

So he had become a part of the landscape in Bon Temps, Louisiana. Opening Merlotte's restaurant had provided perfect cover. Everyone in Bon Temps and the surrounding community came in, including the Stackhouse girl. He found out facts and figures about the grandmother, the brother and Sookie. He knew right away that there was something strange about her. He figured it had more to do with some kind of 'too close for kin' relationship in the old family tree. When you threw in the brother, the impression got even stronger. Everyone in town called her 'Crazy Sookie.' Sam could see it for himself. She would get this odd, spacey look and she'd plaster a demented, 'call the short bus' smile on her face at the oddest times. But all in all, she seemed pretty harmless and she had tits that made his hands itch.

Sam offered her a job as a waitress. He could still see her big, gap-toothed simpering smile. She was so grateful. She showed up and worked her shifts. She told him everything he wanted to know. It was like taking candy from a baby.

Then things changed. Hadley became the Queen's child. Somewhere during the time they spent between each other's legs Hadley had told Sophie-Ann that Sookie had a gift; a supernatural gift. Andre saw the possibilities immediately. Someone with any alleged form of telepathy would be a valuable asset. So the Queen dispatched her procurer, Bill Compton, to Bon Temps.

Sam's instructions were to observe and provide support to Vampire Bill. He remembered standing in the tree line watching the Rattrays beat the crap out of the girl so that Bill could get his blood into her. It was the most cold-blooded thing he'd seen in a long time. He didn't know whether to be horrified or aroused. One thing he did know – the Queen had a long reach and these people played for keeps. Sam knew he didn't want to be on the receiving end of an ass kicking like that ever.

Once he had his blood in her Bill manipulated her into surrendering her virginity. Bill had an old fashioned view of things. He figured that any southern woman would feel obligated to stay with the man that had first had her, if he still wanted her. Bill used her frequently. From what Sam could see he wasn't the warmest or kindest of lovers. He also wasn't exclusive.

The nest mates' visit had made Sam nervous about the strength of the blood tie. Sookie was simple, but sitting back and smiling while her boyfriend was bedding men and women and sometimes both didn't seem likely. Sam could see that she was getting nervous, so he threw his hat into the boyfriend ring. He was nice to her. They went to dinner. She threw him to the side and kept right on with Vampire Bill like the stupid country hick she was. Bill told Sam later never to doubt the power of vamp blood in humans. Things seemed to settle into a waiting game.

Then waitresses in their area started showing up dead. Sookie got herself all worked up. Her brother was a suspect and she was bound and determined to find some way to clear his name. Somehow she talked Bill into taking her to Fangtasia. Bill probably thought it was harmless fun. Eric Northman had done some drive bys on the family both before and after Sam had arrived in Bon Temps. There was no reason to think the sheriff of Area 5 would be any more or less interested than he had been in past.

But it turned out that they had figured wrong. Eric Northman had become very interested. Whether it was the girl's fae scent, her telepathy or both, Eric went into stalker mode. Sam asked Bill if he wasn't going to bring the sheriff's behavior to the Queen's attention, but Bill had been certain of the girl's affection for him.

In no time at all Bill was out and the high and mighty Sheriff Eric Northman was in. He would show up at Merlotte's at odd times. When Sam was shot, Eric sent over a bartender to keep an eye on things. Sam smiled at that memory. The bartender had turned out to be an assassin and Sookie had almost been lost. Big embarrassment for Mr. Northman. He sure as hell didn't look so powerful then.

Of course, then they'd all gone to Rhodes. When Sam had heard that Andre was dead and the Queen was injured, he'd just about danced in the bar. He figured his debt was done and he would be able to go home.

Instead His Holy Majesty Felipe de Castro had swung into town. The first thing he'd screwed up was not killing Northman. The second thing he'd screwed up was not taking Sookie back to Vegas and turning her.

No. Instead he'd tacked an extra year onto Sam's debt and told him he should be grateful for his life. Then he'd told him to keep working, but expand his reporting duties to include Compton and Northman.

It had been a pretty dispiriting time. Sookie ended up being part fairy. She also ended up spending more time with Northman. She got more close lipped about what she was doing. When he wheedled or teased her for more information she'd get a sharp look on her face. Sam knew it was just street smarts. At the end of the day, Sookie Stackhouse was dumb as bread. But there was more. Sookie was actually bonded and married to Northman. Interfering at this point was tricky. If the wind blew in his direction there was money to be made. But if the wind from Vegas should shift to the Viking Sam could be killed for his actions. Something as simple as touching the girl could get parts of him removed.

Things weren't all bad. Sam had Jannalyn. She was a real firecracker. She didn't take shit from anyone. If you looked at her the wrong way she would end you. Sam had loved her at first sight. They had spent all their spare time with each other. Jannalyn wanted to take over the Long Tooth Pack from Alcide Herveaux. She and Sam spent hours working on the plan. They had recruited help. Sam had introduced Jannalyn to Sookie's cousin, Claude. The fairy was volatile, but he shared their hatred of Sookie Stackhouse and Eric Northman. It all seemed to be falling into place. Once Jannalyn had leadership, she would be able to use the Pack's financial assets to buy out Sam's debt. They'd be free and together.

The day she was captured she'd got word to him. There was a chance that things would turn out okay. She had talked them into allowing her trial by combat. If she survived, she could challenge Alcide directly. She was sure if it was between herself and the Pack Master, she would emerge victorious. But if things went against her, she and Sam had made a pact that she would find a way to kill him before she was killed. They'd go out together.

But that hadn't happened. The Stackhouse bitch had screwed it all up. Jannalyn had made it to him. She'd landed the blow. Mustapha was right behind her, sword poised to take her head. They'd die looking in each other's eyes. It was beautiful. But Sookie; fucking Sookie had brought him back. She'd used some kind of screwed up magic spell. She'd robbed him, and he could never forgive her.

The Oklahoma bitch had a hard on for Stackhouse. Felipe wanted to neutralize the Viking. They both wanted Sookie Stackhouse out of the way. Felipe wanted some time and then he planned to retrieve her for himself. Freyda just wanted her dead. They both were paying him. Neither was too particular about how he went about things.

He married the stupid cracker, just like they asked. Then it was like they forgot him. The only decent money he'd been getting had been from the bitch queen for little side jobs. Felipe's stipend had continued but there were no more bonus opportunities. Sam had decided about two years ago that Felipe had just forgotten about him; abandoned him to permanent babysitting duty.

When Sam heard about how Northman was treating Freyda, he smelled opportunity. He started sending her home movies of playtime in his living room. The more miserable he made Stackhouse, the more money showed up in the bank account. The plan to starve her to death and make it look like suicide had been the Queen's. Freyda had been very clear that there could be no suggestion of violence or vampire involvement. It had to look like a natural outcome.

Sam hadn't been surprised by how quickly Sookie had agreed to any and all of his terms. She was so eager to please. She had no backbone; no self-respect. He couldn't understand what Northman had ever seen in her. She was weak. She made him sick.

When it was clear that the girl was dying, Sam had sent word to Oklahoma. Sam had waited at the house for Freyda to arrive in Bon Temps. The Queen had wanted her moment of gloating. She had been so pleased she'd handed Sam a bonus. Then she had cautioned him to make sure it was finished.

One of the things Jannalyn had done was amass a decent store of weapons and devices. There were a couple fire-starters with remote triggers. Sam had set one up in the closet near the kitchen and gas line. He waited until he was in west Texas to call the number. He was pretty sure that there was nothing left now of Sookie Stackhouse and the house at Hummingbird Lane but a pile of ash.

The door behind him opened. He could hear two sets of feet. Then Felipe came around him to sit behind the desk. "What brings you to Nevada, Mr. Merlotte? And where is your lovely wife?"

Sam tried to look confident. "My debt should be paid up. I came to make sure that we are square. As for Sookie, she's right where I left her back in Bon Temps. She had the protection of every vampire in Area 5. I'm sure she's fine"

Felipe screwed his mouth up in a pout. "Oh, Mr. Merlotte! I am so sorry to be the bearer of bad news." Felipe had waited, studying Sam's face. Sam held himself perfectly still. Then the King continued. "Yes, bad news indeed. She is in the hospital but not to worry. Sheriff Ravenscroft has the situation well in hand."

Sam had not been able to suppress his surprise. Felipe nodded and a set of hands descended on Sam's shoulders. "Well Mr. Merlotte. Why don't we see what other surprises we can find out together?"

**Jackson:**

Sookie closed her eyes and crossed her hands over her stomach. It seemed years since she had arrived in this place. She thought she was in a home. She remembered being in a hospital. So many things had changed.

When Sookie had arrived in this new place, she had been so overcome with sadness that she was unable to lie down. Just being flat was enough to trigger an overwhelming sense of powerlessness and loss. She would be rigid. And then she would panic. Finally she would cry and find herself unable to stop. During that time, even her sleep was gained while being positioned upright in a chair. That way she could leave her shoes on and keep curled in a ball.

Although no one had threatened her, she had felt a constant and brooding sense of being in danger. Her head told her if she was upright, she could run. She was closer to safety.

There had been days when consciousness had only come in short bursts. A glimpse of a flower in sunlight. The sound of a soft-soled shoe. A nightmare memory of screaming in the night. Each time felt like she was breaking through a hard surface to find a world that was sharp and cold and unwelcome. Each time she found herself sinking back to the grey place in her head where she could float far away from words and struggles and the overwhelming pain that seemed to center around her heart.

She thought about the hopelessness of her life at Hummingbird Lane. She had found one morning she no longer seemed to find a reason to get out of bed. Food didn't taste worth it. Most days she didn't even go outside; didn't really make it out the bedroom door.

Sam finally left one day and didn't come back. It took a couple days to make that connection in her head. And then she thought, "_Good. Now I can finally stop pretending_." And she had crawled under the covers and not come out for a long time.

She remembered bits of the car ride that brought her here. Before here, she had seen Dr. Ludwig and Pam. Maxwell Lee had come. But now she saw Thalia and Bubba. They came to sit with her at odd hours. Once she had opened her eyes to see Bill Compton. When she saw him in the chair she had turned her face to the wall and started to cry. She hadn't seen him since.

And then there had been a morning she woke up to see a tiny, grey-haired lady sitting in a chair across from her. Sookie remembered wondering who she was. The woman was writing something on a pad. Her hair was piled on her head. Every so often the woman would stop writing, shake her hand and then start again. She wasn't dressed like a nurse. She wore soft clothes and seemed very comfortable. She sat with one leg crossed over the other. She had short boots made of some kind of soft black leather. There was something about her that made Sookie feel that this world was not so hard or harsh. She felt a small tug of curiosity and it kept her from sinking too quickly.

Sookie remembered seeing the rug under the woman's foot – some sort of oriental looking flat rug in an intricate pattern of red and white. She remembered feeling overwhelmingly tired. It was more than physical exhaustion. She felt like her spirit had been sucked from her. Her eyelids were dragging over her eyes. She lifted her gaze to see the woman again and found herself looking straight into a pair of bright green eyes.

"_She is something more_," thought Sookie. Then she closed her eyes to return to her cocoon deep within herself.

The light made patterns on her eyelids. She recalled afternoons spent tanning in her backyard. She thought about sitting on the dock at the pond in back of her parents' house; her brother Jason's house now. She saw herself wearing Daisy Dukes and a tank top. Her toes were pink and her fingernails too. She could feel the sun soaking into her shoulders and cheeks. It felt like feeding through her skin, but that didn't make sense.

"Sookie, where are you now?" The voice seemed far away, but the telepath found she wanted to answer it.

"I'm sitting on the dock behind Jason's house."

"What do you hear?"

"I can hear the waves making little lapping noises under me. There's a jay making a racket in the tree across the way. There are bees busy in the flowers all around the banks."

"Can you smell the flowers?"

"No. But I can smell the water. That funny pond water smell – like minnows and mud."

"Is it a happy smell?"

That was a funny question. She scrunched her face as she thought about that. "Sure. I guess. I know I'm always happy near the pond."

"Where else are you happy?"

Sookie allowed herself to think about it a minute. "Sitting at Gran's house, listening to rain on the tin roof. Making breakfast at my table at home… and…" And Sookie could see it in her mind's eye; the flash of flying forward and strong arms around her. There are blue eyes laughing as she is spinning and spinning, and spinning down and down and her mouth opened and she started screaming.

"Sookie! Sookie! It's ok, sweetheart." The older woman stroked Sookie's back.

"I'm not thinking about bad thoughts," Sookie want to shout. But she couldn't because her mouth was already open and she was croaking and hiccupping so hard she couldn't breathe.

Finally there was the pinch of a needle and Sookie lost herself in darkness again.

Every day after that, Sookie would find herself waking to the sight of the same woman. Sometimes the woman was writing. Sometimes she was looking at Sookie. Sometimes she hummed a song. There was something about the song that made Sookie anxious.

One day when Sookie woke to the sound of the song, she found her voice. "Stop." Even to her ears, her voice sounded strange; like someone else's voice.

She remembered the woman's hand on her cheek. "Hello Sookie. My name is Lydia. You are safe here. I won't hum if you don't want me to."

Sookie had nodded then and settled back into a different sleep then – one that wasn't running.

From that time forward, Lydia had talked whenever Sookie was awake. Lydia talked about herself and a place called Sanctum. Sookie learned that this place was Lydia's dream. She had created it many years ago. Sookie had the impression that the place had been around much longer than Sookie had been alive. There were times when the light in the room was slanting through the window in a certain way that Sookie thought she could see something a little off about the woman – like she was not quite what she looked like.

Lydia talked about how she had negotiated the neutrality of Sanctum. She talked about her philosophy on living an elegant life – and how decorating the place had been an extension of that belief. Lydia told Sookie that her own personal history had made the founding of this place, and its mission of helping those who had been left behind, something deeply personal for her.

Sookie found herself wondering about the story that would lead Lydia to create the place she described, but she couldn't bring herself to ask. To ask too many questions would lead to giving too much of herself away. And Sookie no longer felt she had anything left to give.

As Sookie listened to Lydia speak she found herself comparing the soft-spoken yet strong woman to her Gran, who had died violently so many years ago. While Sookie still felt that sweep of sadness and longing that she associated with her Grandmother, she felt it recede a little at a time with each afternoon. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to just ask this person the question that had been forming as her most pressing concern.

"Why am I here? Why am I alive?"

Sookie could recall with perfect clarity the look on Lydia's face as she framed her answer. Lydia's warm blue eyes had focused on hers. Her head had tipped just a bit to the side. Her whole being had seemed to emanate warmth and support and affection.

"Oh, Sookie. You are such a blessing to all who know you. If you had left us, you would have left such a hole in the lives of everyone who loves you. And that circle is a wide one. Maybe wider than you know. Sookie – you are loved. You matter."

Sookie found herself wondering who had fed this person such a total line of bullshit. "Someone sure blew smoke up your skirt!" she said.

Lydia seemed to know that the younger woman was at a decision point. "Sookie, tomorrow I would like to start working on what is going on with you. I hope you will share your story with me and together we can try to figure out what this all means. Will you be willing to try?"

Sookie couldn't answer right away. Did she want to talk about it? Why bother? But then she looked in Lydia's eyes again. She could feel a light pressure in her head. She knew she couldn't be glamoured. She decided to try to take a peek into Lydia's mind.

What Sookie found was warm and light and seemed to have layer after layer of impression and emotion. What she couldn't get was any single thought or clear pattern. Even so, it was almost like when she had found herself able to shelter her mind and emotions within the silence of a vampire's thoughts – only this was not silent. It was comforting and harmonious.

Sookie nodded.

Lydia had laughed then. It seemed like the most beautiful sound in the world – like music and bells. Lydia had come then and sat on the side of the bed. She reached for Sookie's hand. In that touch, Sookie felt warm and safe. She thought, "_Maybe, just maybe I can trust this woman_."


	9. Chapter 9 - Confluence

Chapter 9 – Confluence

NOTE: A confluence is the coming together of separate streams. Our story will progress with several of our actors meeting. New directions will start to change the course of their lives.

I thank everyone who has taken the time to review and comment. Your suggestions and support have meant a great deal to me. I am thrilled to share my adventure with you and to have you find pleasure in it.

I would like to acknowledge Breathesgirl, whose wit and wisdom keep me honest and in line with the story. Thank you!

**Las Vegas:**

Felipe leaned back, his eyes fixed on the line where the far side of the wall met the ceiling. His hand absently stroked the hair of the woman whose mouth was busy sucking his cock. Her tongue tip provided just the right pressure along the dorsal vein. Up. Down. Tickle just under the edge of tip. She moaned and he tightened his hold on her hair. She stilled and their eyes met. He shook his head, cautioning her with his eyes.

Felipe had found that his planning was best done when his mind was totally relaxed. It was during these moments that his thoughts were freed to make connections and see possibilities. The sensation of having his cock massaged by a warm mouth put him in that half dream state. The key was finding just the right degree of stimulation without going too far. Once the need for release was triggered, his ability to free form thought ended. Sometimes he needed hours to work through everything. When that happened, he would just switch out the girls. Humans just didn't have the stamina needed for him to work through complex concerns, but the warmth of their mouths and tongues was just not replaceable. Weres ran too hot. Vampires were too cold. Felipe let his eyes drift back to the angle on the far wall as the woman settled back into the soothing rhythm. '_Yes_," Felipe thought. "_Humans are just right_."

The session with the shifter had proven somewhat enlightening. Of course, there had been the usual screaming and cursing. Blood had been drawn and wounds inflicted. Felipe had always found Merlotte to be fairly dependable even if lacking in imagination.

Felipe had known when he found Merlotte's marker that the shifter would be resentful of having the debt transferred. But then the idiot had made his feelings so apparent. The shifter's anger and disappointment had been like a book; written all over his face. Felipe hadn't been able to restrain himself and had impetuously added a year to the debt as a condition of sparing Merlotte's life.

Still, the reports had been regular and checked out as fairly accurate. That is until Victor.

On reflection, sending Victor so far away with no clear checks and balances may have been a miscalculation. Profits had plummeted. There was trouble. Victor assured him the issue was Northman feeding discontent and undermining everything Victor tried to do. Turned out the worm in the apple was Madden which wasn't really a surprise. Felipe had hoped that Victor's ambition would manifest in pragmatic solutions. Instead the absolute power had corrupted absolutely. Victor had become small and grasping; paranoid and self-destructive. When it came right down to it, Northman and his followers had done Felipe a service.

But during all this unrest, there had been nothing in Merlotte's reports to alert Nevada to the situation. Had Victor not been ended when he was Felipe may have found himself facing a reverse takeover. After listening to the whining and whimpering yesterday, Felipe was confident that the shifter's hatred for the Viking either caused him to not see conditions that were adverse to Northman, or caused him to deliberately ignore them. Either was an issue. If the King were to continue to use Merlotte's services, it could not be in close connection with Northman.

Eric Northman. What to do?

Both Victor and Merlotte had painted a picture of Northman and his attachment to Louisiana. Felipe could understand the attraction of sitting in a small, backwater province where you were virtual King without having to deal with the myriad of distractions that came with actually holding the position. Felipe found himself wondering if Northman's only hold back to making the try for the role had been his maker's continued existence.

Appius Livius Ocella. Felipe found his lip curling. It was difficult not to be impressed with the old Roman. To stand in his presence was to feel his power; his age. Appius may not have held the title of king, but he had been a giant among them nonetheless. A flawed giant.

Felipe could never think of a future where Appius would have continued. The post-Revelation world was simply too revealing. Someone somewhere would have decided that the Roman was interesting and the dots may have started connecting. There would be inquiries and more disappearances. These older vampires were all the same; just kill and bury your problems. They just couldn't wrap their behavior around Facebook and YouTube and Instant Messaging. Felipe didn't doubt that a crisis would come; a collision of worlds and values. When that day arrived, Felipe intended to be at the forefront in taking over North America. Humans would fall in line as weres and witches already did. They would understand the natural superiority of vampires as the apex on the food chain. A little judicious glamouring and the job would be done.

But, like all great change, it would need to be handled carefully. There needed to be an affirmative effort in placing the right people in the right places. That was what made Felipe's involvement in the entertainment area so attractive. When people were enjoying themselves they became relaxed; more open. And everyone liked to enjoy themselves; the rich and the mighty as much as the regular and pedestrian. In some ways, the rich and the mighty needed the release of entertainment even more. Felipe liked to think that he nourished relationships during those moments. Sometimes people with influence turned out to have vulnerabilities; proclivities that they had trouble expressing in their regular lives; things about themselves that might prove embarrassing if others knew. It was those cracks that Felipe most liked to discover and exploit. As far as the King was concerned, it was all an investment in a better future. And what did vampires have to look forward to but more and more future?

He tapped the cheek of the woman in his lap. She was clearly tiring. He glanced toward the door. "Another," he said.

While the woman rose from her knees, he leaned over and picked up the goblet of blood. He could have fed, but that triggered too much emotion. Better to wait.

He thought about Pam Ravenscroft. She had proven herself a worthy sheriff. She and her partner had managed to morph a small bar into a national chain. The revenues from the Fangtasia operation were nothing like the take from his gaming houses, or the pit fights, but they were positive and growing. The reputational value of the Fangtasia franchise was also worth noting. She was attracting the right kind of clientele; celebrities and influencers that could be of help in furthering Felipe's vision.

Felipe considered his treatment of the vampire. He had been considerate, if distant. No punishments or overtly hostile actions. The sheriff of Area 5 would have no reason to undermine him due to recent actions.

A handsome youth settled himself before the king. He lightly ran his fingers up the ruler's thighs and smiled with slanting sloe eyes. Felipe smiled at him, and ran his fingers over the man's cheek. "Tan hermosa," Felipe murmured. The youth dropped his face to the king's lap and started.

Felipe's fingers drifted back to the seat of the couch. '_And now young Pamela has done something very wrong. She has allowed my telepath to be damaged_.' Felipe smiled.

Felipe's mind drifted back to the information he'd gleaned from Merlotte. Based on what the shifter had given them, there had been some question of the telepath even being alive. Merlotte had tried to stage arson and use it to cover up her death. Horst had had that piece of information checked on the internet. Sure enough a short piece had appeared on a local blog site talking about the loss of the long time residence. From the look of the picture the fire had been intense. All you could see was a fireman in the foreground and a charred hole behind.

The other piece of value he had gained from the interrogation had been the intensity of the Queen of Oklahoma's involvement in all of this.

Freyda. What a waste of beautiful packaging. He had intervened in her dispute with Northman over the marriage because it suited him. He needed Northman out of the picture. He had an idea that Oklahoma would be interested when he'd aimed that damned Roman, Appius, toward her kingdom. The Queen was vain and pretentious. The Viking was a head-turner and carried some reputation. It hadn't been any stretch at all to see that she would walk down the path he created. He had anticipated that Northman would resist. He had underestimated the strength of that resistance.

There had been a suggestion that the source of the Viking's lack of cooperation had been his attachment to the telepath; his emotional attachment. Of course, that was just foolish and anyone who knew vampire could not think that for a moment. It was something else; his loss of independence and sovereignty. But now, there was no maker to stand between the Viking and a crown. There was only a contract to an unpredictable and unreliable Queen.

Knowing what he knew now, Felipe knew that the terms of the contract had been violated. If the details were to come to light, the Viking would be free. Free to kill the Queen. Free to return to Louisiana. Maybe even free to challenge him for rule over his growing kingdom.

Of course, the source of that knowledge was currently recovering in a guest suite here in the King's palace. Once he had been satisfied he knew all there was to know, Felipe had had the shifter healed. It never did to reward loyalty with death. It sent a bad message. Merlotte had shown bad judgment in not telling Felipe about his deal with Freyda. He had shown worse judgment in trying to harm Felipe's asset. And now he'd been punished. All good.

The king looked back at the sight of the beauty in his lap. He appreciated the way the youth's black hair hung along his jaw; the purity of his profile. '_Yes_,' Felipe thought, '_I can see the pieces fall into place_.' He grabbed the man's hair, stopping his motion. "Come beauty," he said, offering his hand. "Let us find somewhere more comfortable for your knees."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night Felipe asked Horst to join him for a call he needed to make to the Queen of Oklahoma. There had been a series of individuals who had answered, acknowledged him and then passed him along before he heard Freyda's voice.

"Felipe! I didn't know you were calling tonight! What an unexpected pleasure it is." Her voice sounded happy, but the King thought he could detect an undercurrent of annoyance.

"Freyda, it is always a pleasure to hear your voice as well. There is something about the cadence of your speech that always reminds me of home. How are things for you, my fiery friend? Is the Viking heeling well for you?" Felipe already knew the answer. He could almost see the sneer on the face of the Queen.

"He is the same."

"Oh, my lovely one. You mustn't be angry with him. He lived his own life by his own rules for a long time. He would have continued, a pampered fish controlling his own pond. Sophie-Ann had indulged him too long. Time has a way of grinding down all the sharp corners. You are so young to this life. You will come to know the power of patience."

He could hear the effect in her words as she responded. "Thank goodness for you. No one else takes the time to talk with me the way you do. It's not like I had anyone to help me through all this. I was vampire and then I was just on my own."

Felipe found himself gritting his teeth. It was hard to maintain the smile on his face. Did she think he was stupid? Like the black widow she was, she had killed everyone around her to gain her throne. Had she been bright she would have made a play to join herself to Nevada and himself. But she was too greedy. She wanted to stand alone. And now she was pretending affection when he had evidence that she had betrayed his interests.

Felipe continued. "Yes. Patience is a hard virtue to learn. So easy to not look at the consequences of actions when opportunities present. Wouldn't you agree, Freyda?"

There was no response. '_Yes_,' Felipe thought. '_That has her attention_.' Felipe continued. "I have an unexpected guest who appeared at my gate from Louisiana. Can you guess who that might be?"

The other end of the phone was silent. Felipe took that as his cue. "Yes, Sam Merlotte appeared here. He had quite the tale to tell. Of course, I don't blame you for taking advantage of the situation. I can guess how difficult these years have been. But using him to punish a human gives her too much credit, don't you think? No one could ever suggest that anyone, including Eric Northman, would prefer a simple, backwoods blood bag over you."

"What are you going to do with Merlotte?" She might as well have just asked him what he intended to do with her.

"Freyda, if it came out that you had a hand in harming the girl, the contract would be void. I would be hard pressed to stop any punishment that might be suggested." He paused, letting that sink in. "But we both know that Northman is far better there than elsewhere. I'll tell you what. Why don't I come see you? We can spend some time riding your horses and planning out how to use this situation to our best advantage. "

He could hear the relief in her voice. "Oh, Felipe! That would be wonderful. It would be too nice to have a familiar, friendly face around. Just let me know when you think you can make some time for me."

Felipe looked at Horst. Horst's fangs had descended. "Why, I think that Horst, Angie and I could be there in two weeks. Would that give you enough time to arrange things?"

"Of course! I'll have my day people confirm everything with Angie. Thank you Felipe!" They spent a few more minutes talking about smaller concerns, and then they hung up. As soon as the call was ended, Horst hissed.

"The bitch. She admits she betrayed you! If this were to come out, you would be glossed with her dishonor. You are party to the contract. She knows this!"

"Calm, Horst. I agree. She has proven that she can't be trusted. But did we ever think she could be?" Felipe shook his head. "Arrange transport for the three of us to Shreveport. Contact the lovely sheriff Ravenscroft and let her know to expect us in two days. Then confirm our transport to Oklahoma. Make sure we have accommodations in the palace. I don't want the inconvenience of traveling back and forth. And Horst," Felipe looked sharply at his enforcer. "Make sure that Sam Merlotte doesn't meet with any unexpected accidents. He may have a part to play later."

Horst smiled and left to get arrangements underway.

**Shreveport:**

Pam looked at the people assembled in her office. The investigation into the fire that had destroyed the house on Hummingbird Lane had been ruled an accident by the local police. That was because they didn't have the melted piece of metal that was sitting on the edge of Pam's desk.

"Well, if there is anything to be thankful about here, it's that Pam found Sookie and got her out of the house before someone triggered this thing." Alcide gestured toward the device.

"Someone?" Jason Stackhouse's voice rose. "Someone? We know who the son of a bitch was! Who else had access? Who's missing? When we catch that bastard, Merlotte, I'm going to kill him." Jason half rose as his anger took hold of him.

Pam gestured to Stackhouse that he should sink back into his chair. Jason shot her a level look. "And it's hard to be grateful," he continued, "When it's vampire shit that got her in harm's way to begin with."

Pam hissed. "Oh, you've been such a good brother? Where the hell have you been? You didn't see her. She was a bag of bones in a bruised skin sack. Where was your good protection?"

Maxwell launched himself between them. "Let's take this down a notch. We are all on the same side." Alcide had been in the process of rising, clearly supporting Stackhouse. The gesture said clearly that Alcide and Jason were weres together. Although Jason was a panther and Alcide a wolf, pack mentality meant two-natured came first.

Jason shook his head, like he was clearing cobwebs. "Yeah. You're right. I should have been there for her. But I got sucked in just like everyone else." He sank back into the chair. He hung his head, clasping his hands between his knees. "I saw how thin she looked. She just smiled and told me she needed to lose some weight. I could see that there were days at lunch she was limping a little. She'd just tell me she had strained something. She'd just keep going, smiling and chatting like nothing was wrong." He looked up at Pam. "I'm sorry. I am beholden to you. She'd be dead now if it weren't for you."

Pam nodded. "I was as guilty. When she married Sam she asked Karin and I to stay away. It never occurred to me to look too closely." Pam thought back on the events of those days. "Karin was closer to her then; at least physically. She mentioned she had concerns. I just didn't follow up." Pam remembered the evening Karin had come to see her. She had been worried about Sookie marrying Sam.

"You don't see her at night, Pam. She sits on the porch swing alone staring into the sky. Even when she is with the shifter it's like she is waiting for someone else." Pam had refused to discuss it with her sister. Pam remembered the confusion and conflict she had felt about the relationship between her maker and Sookie. At first it had been a good source of entertainment; something to use to tease Eric. He had never failed to rise to the bait. But eventually Pam had to accept that there was something else there; something unexpected. Eric Northman was obsessed with the telepath. He could not do anything; make any move without including her in his calculations. She had become a part of him. And Pam had resented that.

By the time Eric left for Oklahoma, Pam had been clear that Eric had intended to make Sookie his blood bonded in every way. He had intended to bring her to his side, placing her above both Karin and herself. He was prepared to do all this and Sookie had never once acknowledged him; acknowledged his feelings for her. Even now Pam couldn't help but feel sorrow and conflict over the injustice of this. Eric Northman was a great vampire. He deserved every accolade and honor. But he was willing to bring himself low all for the sake of a woman who never appreciated him and the sacrifices he made for her.

And yet, Pam had to acknowledge that there was an inevitability about them. With all the fighting and laughing and tragic misunderstandings, they were simply meant to be. And now, the telepath was missing. Pam knew that Thalia was at the bottom of it. Ludwig had told her about the vampire's arrival. Everyone knew that Thalia had great loyalty to the Viking and his progeny. Dr. Ludwig had assumed that Pam was involved. What's more, she had been grateful to have the telepath out of the hospital and on her way. If there was one thing every supernatural appreciated it was that Sookie Stackhouse attracted trouble.

Jason spoke again, interrupting Pam's thoughts. "I have to ask. If she was looking so bad, why didn't you heal her? I mean, you gave her blood before."

Alcide started. What Jason was asking was a deeply personal and borderline insulting question. "It doesn't work like that Jason." The face of Miriam, her deceased beloved, came into Pam's mind's eye. "Our blood can heal wounds. We can cause broken bones to mend. But we can't cure dread disease. Starvation. Lupus. Diabetes. Cancer." Pam paused, looking toward Maxwell. "Our blood can help the person with the pain or give them a little more strength to endure. But our blood can't cure."

Jason looked away. After a moment, he looked at the device again. "Any idea where that thing came from? Sure doesn't look like something Sam could build in the shed."

Alcide took a deep breath. "I think he got it from Jannalyn." The gazes of those seated shifted to Alcide, waiting for him to continue. "After she was executed, we searched her property. She had put aside quite the arsenal. There were a couple trigger devices with mechanisms that fired off on a phone call. This could be something from one of those."

Jason nodded. "I just don't get it. Why would Sam Merlotte have done something so low down and dirty?"

But there were no answers.

**Shreveport - Two Days Later**

"You honor us with your visit, Majesty." Pam bowed low. Maxwell, Indira, and Palomino bowed behind her. While vampires were moving to the area, attracted by jobs and Pam's reputation, Pam had decided to keep the group interacting with de Castro small and manageable. If things went badly, she knew she could trust these three to pick up the pieces and provide some stability for those under her protection in Area 5. If things went well, it was good for de Castro to have some acquaintance with those Pam meant to recommend for advancement.

"The pleasure is all mine, Sheriff Ravenscroft. Please," he gestured toward the office. "Would there be an opportunity to sit and talk?" Felipe glanced at Angie. "Do you think you can find something to entertain yourself while Pam and I chat?" Angie smiled. No one believed it was a request.

Pam waved toward the back hallway. Felipe walked first. Horst and Maxwell trailed behind. When they got to the door, Felipe turned to Horst. "Good friend, it is rather close in there. Do you mind?" Horst nodded and turned back to the club. Maxwell glanced at Pam. "Please," continued Felipe, "If you would like your business partner to join us, he is most welcome."

Pam found herself relaxing. If Felipe had meant to end her he would not have allowed her to have Maxwell in the same space. It was a message and Pam was hoping she was reading it correctly. Pam nodded to Maxwell and they both followed Felipe into the office.

Once they were settled and glasses of Royalty served, Felipe opened their conversation. "First, let me congratulate you both on the remarkable success of Fangtasia. Sandy Seacrest sings your praises at every opportunity. I saw the spot on television myself. All those celebrities attending your New York opening. It must have been most gratifying." Felipe smiled, looking every inch the pleased and indulgent boss.

"Thank you, majesty. We have been grateful for your support and guidance. I am personally pleased to have your approval." Pam inclined her head in a properly respectful way. Felipe found himself warming to her. She had been trained well. This was all promising.

"Of course, the business with Sookie Stackhouse, my telepath, was disappointing." He waited. When Pam and Maxwell continued to watch him, their faces carefully neutral, the King continued. "Although I have had no assignments for her recently, she is an asset to my kingdom and was under your protection."

Pam nodded. She was not sure where this was headed. Felipe didn't look overly concerned. He sipped his blood and could have been talking about stock prices or the weather. She realized he was deliberately waiting this time.

After a long stretch, she offered, "I was fortunate to find her when I did. Her home caught fire shortly after she was removed to the hospital. Had I not, she would have died." She could see Maxwell vibrating with anxiety in the chair across the way. She hoped that her glance and calm manner would help him get hold of himself.

"Of course," de Castro said, his fingers tapping against his glass, "now she's missing altogether." He looked at Maxwell, smiling. "But, there is no question about your involvement in that development. Thalia has ever been unpredictable. I have inquiries to determine where she spirited our Ms. Stackhouse." Felipe smiled again. "I would never go against her myself. Her reputation is well deserved. When I do find her, I will need to bring her before a tribunal." Then he laughed. "Could you see Thalia in the fighting pits? She would be magnificent. We would all make a fortune!" Pam and Maxwell smiled tightly in return.

The king shifted forward, setting his goblet on the table. "But what I have to discuss does have to do with your maker." He waited, allowing the statement to sink in. "I have come into some information recently, which would impact the contract between your maker and the Queen of Oklahoma if it were to come to light. As the Viking's beloved child, I thought it best to bring it to your attention first." Felipe could see he had the full attention of both vampires. He sat back and continued.

"If I were to make this public, it could damage the relationship; the trust between your maker and Freyda. I would not want to create strife between married partners."

"What kind of information would do something like that?" Pam asked carefully.

"Why, that Freyda had violated the terms of the contract. One could say that she broke the most important condition." And he waited again. Pam now knew her role in this.

"And, what would that condition have been, Majesty?"

"Why, the condition to leave the Stackhouse woman in peace, my dear Pamela."


	10. Chapter 10 - The Blue Water Beyond

**NOTE**: Thank you to everyone who had read and reviewed the story. I am also grateful for those who have given this the honor of following. I hope that it continues to merit your interest.

Thank you to Breathesgirl, my wonderful beta reader. I appreciate everything you do.

Chapter 10 – The Blue Water Beyond

Sookie woke up today in the bed she now thought of as her own. Not her own in a permanent way. She felt the bed was her own in a way that made it okay to fall into the pillow and pillow top and from there to fall further into untroubled, deep sleep. Some nights she still woke up shaking and covered in cold sweat. She could almost catch pictures from those times; pictures of pain and screaming. But mostly she just remembered the fear. Those nights were fewer now.

Sookie still wasn't completely certain where she was. She knew there were guards. She knew that the household probably belonged to vampires. As she grew stronger; more present, she found herself tentatively reaching out with her mind to find who was around her. She could sense the voids that meant vampire. They weren't next door but they were close. There were humans too. Not many and they did not seem to actually live here. They came and they left. Sookie could only capture snippets of thought. She could tell that the owners had only recently returned. She could tell that the woman, Lydia, who sat with her and spoke with her, was also a visitor here. She could tell that there were weres who did live here. Some of the patterns seemed familiar somehow.

Every day things had become a little better for her. Sookie found herself feeling stronger. She could pull herself up now and handle the utensils that came with her trays of food. She had noticed that nothing she was served needed to be cut. That was good because her trays never included knives. When Sookie had made that connection, she had felt a grim smile overtake her face. Seems someone knew something about her.

Thalia had come to visit her at first. Once Sookie had demonstrated she wasn't going to die right away, the small vampire had become a less frequent presence at her bedside. Sookie wondered if her own inability to talk much had driven Thalia away. For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to ask.

She could tell by the slanting light through the windows at the foot of the bed that it would be dark soon. Lydia had been with her earlier and they had talked about Sookie's improving anxiety and general health. Sookie had assured the older woman that she had no intention of ending her own life. Sookie wasn't sure when she had made that decision, but when she said it; she had realized it was so.

Soon the guard/nurse would come with her dinner tray. She would have company through the evening. There would be an opportunity to read. There were several novels on the table beside her bed. In past, she would have preferred stories of romance and adventure and fated love. But the thought of reading about that kind of happiness filled her with an overwhelming feeling of despair. The despair always seemed to be followed by guilt.

Sookie knew now that Sam had never loved her. It had been like scales falling from her eyes. The way he looked at her; the way he held her at night. All of it had been a lie. The worst part was that the largest part of the lie was not what Sam had said to her; the largest part of the lie had been what she had said to herself. Every demand Sam had made; every wedge he had driven between herself and everyone she loved; Sookie knew she had helped him as sure as she had done each of those things all on her own. When she thought about all she'd lost she was so angry with herself she wondered if it was an endless well or if she would finally find an end.

It was in this state that Bill Compton found her. He had been following her progress. There was simply no way in a household of this size that the identity of the guest in the carriage house would go unreported.

Bill had found himself on Russell and Bartlett's doorstep shortly after Sookie's marriage. Sam had made Bill aware how the continued presence of the vampire right across from their house was making Sookie uncomfortable. Sam had been quite explicit in his remarks, and direct in his request that Bill should find somewhere else to live, preferably far away. Bill had presented himself to Pam asking to be allowed to leave the area. Bill argued that the database was no longer the money maker it had been. There just were not that many new vampires and those that did exist seemed to have already purchased the directory. Of course Bill sold updates but demand seemed to shrink with every passing month. Bill told Pam he wanted to try his hand at writing and felt he would benefit from new landscapes to make that possible. Pam had passed the petition to Felipe de Castro through Sandy Seacrest and the request had been approved.

Russell in particular was happy to welcome Bill as a sort of caretaker/artist in residence to the Jackson home. Bill had a southern sensibility and was spending some time researching and then acquiring items to continue the furnishing of the antebellum property. Even during the strained time when Lorena had brought him there as a captive Bill had shown a flair for interesting conversation. Bartlett and Russell frequently invited him to share evenings chatting. When the kings traveled to Indiana or to meetings, Bill would stay behind keeping the weres in line and safeguarding their home. Bill would never be strong enough to be a second in command but he was welcome nonetheless.

Sookie noticed that Bill looked relaxed. He smiled at her and brought the tray to her bed. He placed it and then stepped back.

"May I stay for a bit?" He watched her carefully. Sookie nodded. She wasn't sure why she was agreeing. It was hard for her to see Bill without remembering the glee on his face when he had told her about Eric and Sam; about the deal that Eric had made as a condition to giving the money needed to have Sookie released from jail. She would never forget the satisfaction on his face as he put his need for revenge above the pain that his words inflicted on her. Bill had presented it as doing her a favor, but Sookie wished she had never heard the story. She had thought afterwards and believed still that sometimes it is best in this life to not know certain things; that there is a truth to the saying that ignorance is bliss.

Bill settled in the chair in the corner; the chair Lydia used. He straightened his pants legs in a fussy sort of motion. Sookie found herself snorting a little. When Bill looked at her in surprise, Sookie said, "Sorry," and picked up her spoon. The offering tonight was a chicken and shrimp gumbo over rice. It was fragrant and Sookie was sure she could smell sassafras. She spooned a little into her mouth. In place of the spicy heat she was expecting she tasted a warm, full richness. She closed her eyes and savored the way the flavor rolled across her tongue. Then she opened her eyes and looked at Bill. "You sure you don't mind?"

Bill looked at her in a way that made her feel like an exhibit. "Mind what?"

Sookie licked her lips. "Mind me eating in front of you. You never liked it."

Bill looked to the side, and then looked back, meeting her eye to eye. "I may have been a little selfish in that regard." Bill shifted a little on the chair. "Even though I do find the smell disgusting you can eat in front of me if you like."

Sookie set her spoon down as she stared at Bill in surprise. From somewhere deep inside her she felt all the anger that she had felt a few minutes ago coming to the surface. She felt like fire was coming up from her feet all the way up her body until it was rushing over her face. She felt her mouth turning down at the corners and her fingers clenching. "Well, that is just really kind of you, Vampire Bill." Sookie could hear the edge to her voice. She knew she was being unkind, and suddenly she just didn't care. "So nice of you to say it's okay for me to be human." Then Sookie picked up her spoon and started to eat again.

Bill looked shocked. Then he looked away. When she was done, he picked up her tray and carried it out with him.

Bill turned as he reached the door. "I will always love you, Sookie. I will always try to do the right thing by you."

"I know you believe that, Bill," Sookie said. "You never treated me right. You may have tried but you didn't. There's nothing you can say that will change that now." She turned her eyes back to the window so she wouldn't have to see him leave.

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Lydia returned the next morning and Sookie noticed that something was different. Sookie couldn't put her finger on it. She didn't have to wait long.

"I hear you told Bill Compton what is what."

Sookie stared. She bit her lip, not quite sure what to say. Lydia continued. "Well? Did you give him to believe that you were not happy with him?"

Sookie shifted her eyes so she didn't have to look directly at the older woman. "Yeah. I guess."

Lydia stood up and walked over to the bed. "You guess? Did you or did you not shut down Bill Compton?"

Sookie couldn't help herself. She felt a sudden urge of anger. Her mouth turned down. "Yes!" she stated. She swung her eyes to lock with Lydia's. "Yes, I did. And I'm not sorry."

"Well," said Lydia, "That's the best news I've had all day." And then she laughed. She sat down on the side of the bed and looked straight at the telepath. "Frankly young lady, I was starting to despair of you. I told you I need to return to Sanctum. If you hadn't found your backbone, I would have left you here."

Sookie took a deep breath. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Lydia continued, "that the world we live in is not an easy one. It has no place for quitters or whiners." Lydia waited for Sookie to absorb it. "Tell me who you are, Sookie Stackhouse."

Sookie drew a shaky breath and then let it out. "I'm a waitress. I'm a Christian woman. I'm a telepath…"

Lydia shook her head and interrupted. "You start off by telling me your professional like that defines you. Your job is something you do. You can define it. But it shouldn't define you. Start again."

"Okay." Sookie took a minute. Who was she really? "I'm a southern woman. I'm a Christian woman. I'm a telepath. I'm…" and she stopped. There were things that ran through her head; things she didn't want to say out loud. Some of those things shamed her. Some of those things she wanted to be true, but she just wasn't sure.

Lydia waited. Then she leaned forward. "How about a battered woman?" Sookie quickly drew in a breath. She felt her chest get tight and her eyes get round.

Lydia took Sookie's hand. "How about a wife? Or divorced? How about Angel of Rhodes? How about vampire killer? Sister? Aunt? Friend?" Lydia waited for a minute. "Does any of this also sound like you?"

Sookie nodded. Then she raised her chin. "What about you? What are you?" she asked Lydia.

Lydia leaned back, smiling. "Why Sookie! I'm like you. I'm a fae hybrid making my way in a supernatural world. That makes me first and foremost a survivor."

Sookie turned her head a little, maintaining eye contact. "Really? I thought I sensed something about you."

"Yes. There is a bit of fae in my blood but far less than you." The older woman got up and returned to her chair. "It's probably hard for you to believe but once I looked very much like you. I was young and pretty and sweet smelling. Real vampire bait!"

"What happened?"

"Well, it was a different time. This was pre-Revelation. I met my Robert and fell in love with him. Of course I could sense that something was different about him. But he was courtly and kind." Lydia smiled broadly. "I'm sure that he had no intention of ever getting truly involved with me. It would have been just too dangerous. But for some reason he just kept coming to find me."

"What happened?" Sookie had a sinking feeling that the story was going to become all too familiar.

"One night people came to my apartment looking for Robert. They had found out that he had an attachment and they intended to use me to trap him." Lydia waited.

"What did you do?"

"What do you think I did?"

"I would imagine you were frightened." Lydia nodded in agreement. "Did they tie you up?"

"Yes," Lydia said quietly. "But they beat me first."

"You fought them?"

"Yes. Turned out they were werewolves. Lucky for me. If they had been vampires they probably would have killed me." Sookie nodded her head. "Does this sound familiar, Sookie?"

Sookie nodded. It did sound familiar. Sookie could see so many things flashing in front of her eyes. She could see the Rattrays kicking and stomping her as she lay on the ground. She could see Rene Lanier beating her head against the grave marker. She could see the Maenad stabbing her and Gabe trying to rape her in the cellar of the Fellowship Church. And the orgy and biker that beat her; the one Bubba killed. "Yes," she heard Lydia say. "Yes, I can see by the look in your eyes that it does."

"Does it ever stop?" Sookie asked. "Does it ever just become normal?"

Lydia smiled. "Sookie Stackhouse, it depends on your definition of normal. I will tell you that what happened that night changed me. It set my feet on the path that led me here. I made a choice and it was a good one for me and for others like me. For people like you."

"What did you do?"

Lydia fixed here with her eyes. "I managed to free my hands and I killed all three of those weres. I killed them before my Robert opened the door. I used a knife and my speed and my knowledge of my own apartment." Sookie gasped. "Have you made those kinds of choices, Sookie?" Sookie nodded. "And how do you feel about them?"

Sookie bit her lip. "Terrible; like I'm a bad Christian.; like I'm a bad person."

"Well Sookie, you are neither of those things. You are a good person with strong religious convictions." Sookie couldn't keep the skepticism off her face. "Oh? You don't believe me? Did you just walk up to some random person and kill them because you thought it would be fun?"

"No, of course not!"

"Did you ever have a choice? A real choice as to whether or not you killed any of those people?"

Sookie took a breath and exhaled it sharply through her nose. "Well not really. And some of the time it really was just an accident; my killing someone I mean. But sometimes I just didn't feel real sorry either."

Lydia smiled again. "Sometimes, Sookie, you're not supposed to. If you come with me, you need to understand that my goal is going to be to help you be okay with the world that we live in – the supernatural world. Because that is what we are. I don't care what lies you tell yourself, you are different; you are not wholly human and the longer you deny your heritage the more bad decisions you are going to make that are going to lead to bad situations for you. You can't live a lie and hope it will turn out. Life is just not like that." Lydia stood up. "And one more thing. If you do come, I will not accept you waffling or backing down from embracing your heritage and everything that entails. If you don't think you can live with that, then you need to make that decision now." Lydia waited a minute. "Well Sookie? Will you be coming with me?"

Sookie looked at her. "Does this mean that I would have to give up my home? My friends?"

"No, of course not. But it would mean that you can't hide what you are or accept others making you feel that your being supernatural is a disability or somehow less. You have a proud heritage and a tremendous gift. You also live in a world where violence happens. I'm not going to say that you shouldn't be affected by that, or that you shouldn't feel some regret. But you do need to understand when you have control, and when things are not your fault.

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When the sun set Lydia went to the main house. She was shown into the study. The two monarchs had been listening to blues recordings. There was something about the pull of the melody and the unvarnished reality of the lines that appealed to them. Bartlett turned off the sound system as Lydia settled herself.

"Well," said Russell. "How is our guest getting on?"

"She's better. She's able to manage the panic better. She has amazing resilience. I would have expected someone raised among humans in a sheltered environment to have been far more damaged. I'm not minimizing her issues. She has plenty. But I believe she is stable enough for transport and I would like to make arrangements to take her north, if that is agreeable."

"That is wonderful news. Of course, once she is cured, she is welcome to stay in our kingdoms indefinitely. She will be under our formal protection." Bartlett nodded, signaling his agreement with Russell's words.

'Thank you both." Lydia took a sip from the tea that had been set beside her. "I have to admit that I am curious. Neither of you has ever sought a place for anyone at my facility before. Why now? Why her?"

The monarchs looked at each other. "Well," said Russell, "We do have some history with Ms. Stackhouse. She was a guest here some time back. Is it so surprising that we would want to help someone who finds themselves in an untenable situation? She clearly needed a safe harbor. I won't say that I don't have some hope that she might consider helping us with her telepathic ability from time to time in future. But we wouldn't expect it of her."

Bartlett turned to Lydia. "You know she is the Angel of Rhodes. She saved many of our friends."

Lydia looked at both of them. As she raised her tea, she said, "And I'm sure that helping her could ingratiate you to Eric Northman. " She sipped, then fixed them both with a look. "They say it is good to have a favor owed by the Viking. Good enough to risk the wrath of the Nevada king."

Russell flashed a smile. "Well, while I would like to think that might be a factor. I would like to point out that Northman is married to someone else – a vampire someone else. And from what I can gather, Ms. Stackhouse cares nothing for him."

Lydia smiled again. "We both know you don't believe that. When the time is right I will need you to engineer a visit from the Viking. We will leave for Sanctum in a couple days."

**Las Vegas**:

"Sandy, have you pulled together the numbers on the Oklahoma holdings?" The thin woman leaned forward, and handed her monarch a folder with reports and financial spreadsheets. Felipe smiled. "Wonderful. Your opinion?"

Sandy watched her king with a guarded gaze. "I'm not sure I'd recommend it at the moment. The Queen did nothing to develop or maintain her investments. She abandoned their stewardship to what appears to be a corrupt and incompetent collection of lawyers, so-called accountants and thieves. If she had been smart she would have ordered the Viking to take over, but she couldn't see past his role as prize stud. It could take years to push her balance sheet back to black."

Felipe gave the figures a cursory look. This is why he had people like Sandy; dull plodders who were honest and loyal. "And if we give the Viking the opportunity? Do you think he is that talented financially?"

Sandy thought about it. She respected and liked Eric Northman. She had found him to be pragmatic, flexible and most importantly, lucky. "If anyone can pull this out within a reasonable time I'd put my money on Northman."

"Thank you Sandy. I value your business opinion." Felipe turned to Horst. "Are arrangements made to meet with Narayana Council?" Horst nodded. "When?"

"They will meet with you first thing in the morning?"

"Good. If they don't agree how long does that give us to persuade them?"

"You are due in Oklahoma in a week, majesty." Horst looked down. Felipe smiled to himself. He knew that Horst was hoping this newest move would see him named regent. Felipe also knew he had no intention of fulfilling that wish. De Castro had learned his lesson with Victor Madden. Disappoint them first. See how they react. If they remain loyal then reward them. He would watch Horst carefully.


	11. Chapter 11 - Helms A-Lee

NOTE: Thank you to everyone who has sent me reviews and comments. Your encouragement is so very appreciated. And thank you to Breathesgirl who keeps me laughing.

Chapter 11 – Helm's A-Lee

**Jackson:**

The arrangements for Bartlett and Russell's gathering did not run smoothly. Like any other meeting involving busy people, finding a mutually agreeable date took longer than anyone anticipated.

Early on, the monarchs had decided to restrict the invitation. It was given that the invitees would be exclusive to rulers within the Amun Clan. Aside from Bartlett and Russell, Minnesota and Kentucky were identified as being critical to a successful conversation.

There was some discussion about including Alabama. The Queen there was active in the rule of her state, but she had also developed an unsavory reputation for gossip. Some dealings she had with the now deceased Sophie-Ann LeClerq at the Rhodes Summit had become common knowledge. Alabama had pledged support, then withdrawn that support in favor of a better deal from a competing faction. It left some uncertainty as to her trustworthiness. Bartlett and Russell were clear that the direction they wished to take the Clan would require that all those involved be united in both purpose and vision. There would be potential dangers and each participant needed to have complete trust in their fellow monarchs. At the end of the day, the decision was made to leave Alabama off the invitee list.

Tennessee was likewise dismissed. Again, there was an understanding that the King functioned as an extension of Isaiah of Kentucky. The men were friends and the situation was amicable. But both the planners agreed they added nothing to the discussion by including someone who would represent a second vote for Kentucky in all things.

In the end, invitations were extended to Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Kentucky and Iowa.

Michigan was the first to decline. The King was facing mounting financial pressures. The Detroit bankruptcy had left him in some uncertainty as to owed payments. While he appreciated the opportunity, he regretfully deferred conversation until the upcoming Nashville summit. The Queen of Wisconsin was next. She had other pressing matters, but authorized Maude of Minnesota to speak on her behalf.

Phoebe Golden of Iowa sent her acceptance. So did Maude and Isaiah.

As the days passed and the date was still being negotiated, Russell commented to his frazzled day man that this was to be expected of vampires. "After all," he said, 'What do we have but someone else's time to waste?"

Finally all was settled. Accommodations were assigned. Donor arrangements were confirmed. Aside from Isaiah the other monarchs agreed to use the donor pool arranged through special charter with the Federal Bureau of Vampire Affairs (FBVA). Isaiah insisted on bringing his own donors with him, and additional housing that was convenient to the mansion was arranged. There would be an overlap with their 'special' guests. Once Lydia and Sookie left for the airport the next morning to take the trip north, Isaiah's donors would be moved to the carriage house.

Flowers were arranged. Evening entertainment options were discussed. All the details required to make their guests comfortable and open to conversation were settled.

Maude was the first to arrive. The others weren't coming until later in the evening. When the delegation pulled under the porte-cochere, Maude insisted that her hosts just show them to their rooms. "I don't need to make any extra work for you. Just send me a donor in about an hour. I have a good book and I'll just settle back." 

Russell and Bartlett had insisted the monarch join them downstairs in the study. When Maude arrived, she found both Russell and Bartlett seated with Lydia.

"Lydia! Oh girl, what a wonderful surprise! What in the world brings you to this part of the world?" Maude advanced on the woman who rose and hugged the monarch right back.

Bartlett smiled. "I had no idea you two knew each other. What a happy coincidence." Bartlett directed his eyes to Russell. Russell nodded. They would need to talk about this later.

Lydia looked at the monarchs. Russell shrugged. When it looked like the kings had no objection, Lydia explained, "I'm here because I'm gathering up a new guest."

Maude looked closely at her friend before turning to Russell. "Can I assume that your guest is the famous Sookie Stackhouse?" When Russell didn't answer, Maude continued. "I would like to meet her. Pamela Ravenscroft is a particular friend of mine. I plan on seeing Pam after our time here. She would be happy to hear any news of her friend." Maude turned back to Lydia. "Provided that wouldn't cause any problems."

Lydia looked down. Russell and Bartlett looked at each other. Finally Russell broke the silence. "Is our guest up to receiving visitors?"

Lydia raised her head and nodded. "Yes. I think that a visit with Maude would be welcome."

Russell nodded in return. "Well, if you would like, you could go over now before she falls asleep." The two women turned to leave. Lydia linked her arm through Maude's. "And Maude," the king continued, "Why don't you come back here later?"

"Thank you Russell. I appreciate being able to have some time to just sit and catch up." Maude winked. She and Lydia left the room with their heads together chatting.

Bartlett watched them turn the corner. "I don't know Rusty. I feel we can trust her but the whole situation is making me uneasy."

Russell took his partner's hand. "I know. Lydia and Sookie will be gone before our other guests arrive. We are going to have to tell everyone anyway. You know how things are. She won't be settled in that bed up north two minutes and news will be all over about where she is. Once that happens the call from De Castro will find its way here."

Bartlett pulled Russell into a hug. "Regretting it?"

Russell remained silent, flipping through the possibilities. "No. No, this is the best option. The wild card is Northman." The king drew and unnecessary breath. "If Northman chooses to hold on to that contract this is all a wasted exercise. And it could take us years to recover. You know that?"

Bartlett looked at his partner with affection. "Oh, Rusty! Have some faith!"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maude and Lydia walked through the hallway and out the side door that led to the gardens. "Is she really all that?" Minnesota asked her friend.

"If you mean is she gifted? Yes. She is that." Lydia gave Maude a measured stare. "You know that confidentiality is key. I won't betray her confidences or the trust we are building. Not even for you."

Maude shook her head and smiled. "Oh Lyddie, I wouldn't expect you to. But you know I have heard some things about her. And then there is my Pamela. You know she was willing to risk all kinds of trouble to get this Stackhouse person to you? " Maude shook her head again. "She must be very special."

Lydia didn't hesitate. "She is. More than she knows." The healer stopped their progress toward the carriage house, causing her friend to stop as well. "She has gone through a great deal. You may wish to share some of your insight if she asks. I suspect she may be reluctant to talk about Pam. If she resists, don't press her. "

"I heard she turned down the Viking and married a shifter." Lydia thought about her response.

"I'm not sure if that is the exact way of it. I do know that she married a shifter and that the marriage was not happy."

Maude snorted. "According to Pam he beat and starved her. Sounds like a sight more than unhappy."

Lydia pulled her mouth into a straight line. She seemed to be weighing whether she would respond at all. Finally she made a decision. "I don't accept people who have minor issues into Sanctum. The supe world is not kind, particularly to those who are not raised to it. You are vampire, and were made vampire pre-Revelation. Defense mechanisms and coping devices are things you have in spades because it was either figure it out or die. You had hundreds of years of hiding and blending and running. If a Sookie Stackhouse had crossed your path; any vampire's path 20 years ago, she would have been drained and gone. " Lydia looked at the lights in the carriage house. "We live in a different world now. Vampires and humans and all the other people that make up our world are public. Vampires in particular are going to have a hard time adjusting. It sounds easy, this idea of no hiding. But it changes everything. Those not vampire will not be able to accept the secrecy or the ancient ways of living. The old days of killing rivals and torture as punishment are going to have to come to an end."

Maude made a face. "Well, there goes some of my favorite things."

Lydia did not return the smile. "The day will come that we will not need Sanctum anymore. We will all learn to live together, and those that don't will be captured and punished by some shared legal system. Whether supes accept it or not, being part of this world does not mean following some rules and not others." She looked at Maude closely. "I fear that if vampires don't make the adjustment, their secrecy will become an excuse to persecute them. You know mobs. They hate what they envy or don't understand. Vampires qualify on both counts."

"Hmmm. Do you think that's what K2 wants to discuss?"

Lydia looked quizzical. "K2?" she asked.

"Sure. Two monarchs; two kings – K2" Maude laughed at her own joke, the linking her arm through Lydia's said, "Come on. I want to put my eyes on the famous Sookie Stackhouse!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

Russell leaned his head back on the leather couch, a slight smile pulling at his mouth. His lover; his love was caught in the glow of the fire's light; the reflection captured in his blond hair. As if he could sense him, Bartlett turned to meet Russell's eyes and smiled back.

Bartlett turned back to Isaiah, King of Kentucky. "With all due respect, Isaiah, I don't think any of us can continue fooling ourselves that we are not in an increasingly vulnerable position. Like Kentucky, my kingdom depends on manufacturing for its financial strength. And that means my investments don't return if my companies can't deliver what they sell. No delivery. No income. Any way you slice it, the Mississippi River and its access to the Caribbean is the key. And Felipe de Castro is cutting us off."

"Yes," agreed Isaiah. "The tariffs he's charging for use of the ports and warehousing are painful. All the more reason Felipe should be coming to the upcoming Summit." This was not the first time that the rulers assembled had made this statement. But it changed nothing. Felipe had made clear he would not be attending any more Amun Summits. He would conduct his business, including shipping negotiations at Narayana Summits. Any and all competing Clans would have to get in line and hope to make the agenda.

"It is all a power play. It serves no good purpose." Phoebe Golden sat forward in her chair. Her slight figure was in contrast to the solid presence Maude projected. Where Maude was robust, Phoebe was ethereal. Her pixie face was framed by a bright golden cap. Her long fingers lay on the arms of the chair. "He believes that he will score points by posturing and forcing us to show ourselves on his home turf."

Maude laughed. "Counting coup? DIdn't think he had it in him."

"If only it were amusing," Phoebe shook her head. "He is a hold over. He thinks that all that counts is influence and gamesmanship."

"Maybe so, but for a slick gambler he sure latched onto the realities of shipping," Russell reminded them.

Isaiah shrugged. "I don't think that move was really his. I think Sandy Seacrest is behind it. According to my source in Nevada she's been urging him to diversify for years. Course he can't get his head around anything that's not tied to a gold coin or tin whistle smile." Isaiah stretched his long legs in front of him. "I think that gal decided to ask forgiveness since she was tired of asking for permission."

Phoebe turned her head to consider Kentucky, then nodded. "If she is, then she is playing a dangerous game. De Castro prefers to be the only smart one in the room. He appreciates muscle and blind loyalty. Cunning and wiles in those around him makes him erratic." Phoebe was one of the original monarchs. In a ruling structure where shelf life tended to be short with quick rises and precipitous falls, Phoebe was the exception. There were rumors that she was part fae. Certainly her appearance gave the impression that she had some other quality. In another time her face would have been called gamine. When she smiled her eyes sparkled and she looked like some mischievous sprite. Of course, then you saw the stake or net or the restraining order or the injunction; whatever the occasion required. Phoebe Golden was smart, inspired loyalty and took offense easily. She paired it with patience and guile. Phoebe was a scholar. Her basing her headquarters in Ames, Iowa was no fluke. She loved being close to the university and the access to knowledge and research it afforded her. If left alone or treated fairly, she was a fiercely loyal friend. If you crossed her it was likely the last thing you'd ever do. "Sandy Seacrest would be an asset in any kingdom. But she will see her end with De Castro if she's not careful."

Maude nodded. "Likely at the hands of that thug, Horst."

Bartlett laughed. "Or that bitch Angie. You know we had them here a couple years ago. I found her scraping mud off her stilettos on the edge of my Chippendale table upstairs. Talk about class."

Isaiah laughed. "I don't know what hovel he picked her from but she is one cheap piece."

Maude leaned back in her chair. "What I don't know, Isaiah, is what you ever saw in her?" The Kentucky monarch shot Minnesota a sharp look.

"I can't believe you are going to bring that up!" he growled.

Maude's face settled into a Cheshire cat smile. Russell and Bartlett smiled too. They could sense a good story. The history between Maude and Isaiah stemmed back to their marriage over one hundred years prior. It had been described as stormy.

"It was just about at the end of the contract. And it was our what? Second to last anniversary?"

"Maude, it is ancient history. I would think you would have better things to do than rehash the past." Isaiah shifted uncomfortably.

"Isaiah has arrived late, although he had been spinning all kinds of tales of missing and meeting and such. And when the doors open, who do you think is standing on the doorstep?"

Phoebe smiled openly and laughed. She had heard the story. "I'll bet it was Isaiah and Angie!"

Maude turned to her with a feigned look of surprise. "Why yes! It was." Maude sat forward, her amusement perfectly evident on her face. She knew Isaiah was squirming, but she also knew that he wasn't really angry. "And do you remember what you said when I came down the stairs?"

Isaiah looked right at her. She could see the beginning of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Why no, Maude. I don't rightly think I do."

"You said, 'Why look, honey! I brought us a threesome!'" Maude turned to the other monarchs. "Well, I was not exactly the calm and collected person I am now. There may have been some harsh words.."

"I thought my hair would catch on fire from the language that poured out of your mouth," Isaiah said.

"And I may have had a little extra exercise.."

"You almost hit me with that side table," Isaiah interrupted. "And it was wood."

"Point is, don't go on like you never liked her. You were willing to bring her into our bed."

"Well, you're the one that got that started, so don't blame me." It was Isaiah's turn to fix her with a look. "You said you wanted to mix things up some and you asked if I didn't have a couple of ideas."

Maude smiled, indulgent affection showing through. "Well, I may have at that. But leave it to an old dog to come up with the same lame trick." She smiled broadly. "Goodness knows, we're not all like you two," she gestured toward Russell and Bartlett. "I learned my lesson. I get them young now, before they learn any bad habits. Then, when they start to think they know a thing, I trade them in." She jerked her chin toward Isaiah. "No more letting them get too settled!"

Russell laughed. "Do you think you two would ever consider joining again?"

Isaiah snorted. "Not likely!"

Maude laughed out loud. "Oh! The mean things you say!" But Maude was laughing and laying a hand against her chest dramatically. It was a good moment, and the monarchs felt themselves relaxed and among friends.

Russell looked around the room. "You know, I miss Sophie-Ann." The other monarchs nodded, their smiles becoming more reflective. "She was such fun; an original."

Bartlett took Russell's hand. "Oh, but the choices! Peter Threadgill? What was she thinking?"

Russell nodded. "She could never understand that more territory was not the same as gaining power. Without some way to leverage the areas, more is sometimes just that – more."

Phoebe continued, "And look at the fallout. Strong vampires killed; our fighting and killing done in a way that could have exposed us to the press. That whole affair at her abbey was a blood bath. She had humans there; well-placed humans. It's a miracle it didn't end up on national news."

Maude nodded. "It would have been terrible for all of us. How could we look anything but psychotic and feudal. We'd have had every hate group in America, and most of the religious groups as well lined up against us. You think the registration talk is tough now. If that were to hit television, they'd have wanted to herd us into camps."

"Yes," Russell agreed. "It is a way of life that we can't continue. We must change or find ourselves being hunted again."

"Which brings us full circle back to De Castro." Bartlett looked around the room. "You all know he's old school. He'll do what's to his advantage, but when the chips are down he takes heads."

"So are you saying we should find a replacement?" Isaiah smiled.

"Yes," said Russell. "Louisiana and Arkansas need to return to Amun."

"Are you suggesting one of us take that on?" Phoebe looked concerned.

"No," Bartlett stated. "Each of us has our own concerns. Were one of us to take it, there is no way that the others could feel comfortable. Nor should it be someone who can't stand on their own. It needs to be someone who understands how to work in this new world effectively; someone who understands public relations and money."

"Someone who would be difficult to challenge. An attractive figure." Bartlett added.

"Well, Isaiah, that would leave you out anyway," Maude smiled. Kentucky snorted. "Your majesties, it seems to me you have someone in mind."

Phoebe smiled. "Isn't it perfectly obvious? Who has the age, reputation and an axe to grind against De Castro?"

Isaiah smiled. "Of course. The Viking."

"But how are you going to get him out of his marriage?" Maude asked.

"Well, that is a problem we will have to work through. I have it on good authority that he spent some time and money trying to find a loophole, but he was distracted and de Castro was not supporting him. We are looking at it with new eyes. There's always a solution."

Isaiah crossed his arms and leaned back. "And what makes you think that once he's free he won't just stay in Oklahoma or travel to Europe or go anywhere else? He never showed any interest in taking on a kingdom before. In fact, I'd say he did a pretty good job steering around it."

Bartlett smiled before speaking. Then he ticked each reason off on his fingers. "Well, it's not like he could have been king before. His maker was among us. He may have been interested but would have been barred by definition. Then there's Pam. He is very fond of his child. She's sheriff of Area 5. He would naturally be inclined to take a position that would protect her. I would imagine he's tired of being a king's pawn. Freyda is a nasty piece of business and this past six years does not appear to have been happy for either of them. Being a king has some privilege in terms of not having to bow." He looked at Bartlett, who nodded. "And we may have helped his special friend get into Sanctum."

Russell picked up. "We believe he cares for her deeply. Even though the relationship is over, we believe he would choose to protect her the rest of her days. By saving her we do him a personal favor that we believe will motivate him to view our proposal favorably."


	12. Chapter 12 - Red Sky at Morning

NOTE: Thank you in advance for your thoughts and suggestions. And you can thank my wonderful Beta, Breathesgirl for latent powers and magic dampening. They were delightful ideas that made the story weave that much stronger. Thank you.

Chapter 12 – Red Sky at Morning

**Jackson:**

Sookie leaned over to pick up the extra pair of slippers from the floor. Almost everything was in the new suitcase that had shown up in her room that morning: All the bed clothes and personal toiletries; the hairbrush and paperbacks. She wondered whether the cost to repay her hosts would be more than she could bear.

It ran against everything she believed in to be taking charity. When the kings had come to see her the previous evening, she had a hard time not breaking into tears. "I don't want to look ungrateful. I'm grateful for everything – the clothes, the room… everything. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done. I'll pay you back if it's the last thing I do. Every single cent."

Bartlett and Russell had been gracious. They had assured her that there was no repayment necessary. Lydia had been smiling and assured her that this was the case. But Sookie knew that in this world it was rare; okay, pretty much non-existent to receive random acts of kindness. Someone would be paying something sometime and no one could convince her otherwise.

Earlier that evening she had met the Queen of Minnesota. If Lydia reminded her of her Gran, Maude was something entirely different. She had been bawdy and snarky. At one point Sookie had found herself laughing; really laughing like she hadn't in a long, long time. When she realized it, she broke into tears again. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so good. Probably not since Eric; since the time before.

That was how she was starting to think of her marriage to Sam. The Time and the Time Before.

Maude had told her some stories about Pam during the time she spent in Minnesota. Sookie had shared some stories about things they'd done together in Shreveport. Before she even realized it, Sookie found herself telling the story of how she and Pam had killed Corinna and Bruno. She wanted to stop, but her mouth just kept running and running. She told how it had been raining that night. She told how frightened she had been. She told how she had staked Bruno in the mud and how Pam had hidden the car. She told how they had to warn Eric off, but how all she wanted was to have him there to hold her and let her know she was safe. "Boy, I'm nothing but a big old bawl baby!" she had told them as she bit her lip and wiped her eyes.

She told them how she just felt numb both during and after the killing. She remembered how later she had stopped thinking of vampires as real; that somehow killing them was less terrible than killing a human. She wondered if that made her a bad person.

'Sookie, you are not alone. Others have had this experience. When we get to Sanctum we are going to talk about this, and all the other experiences you've had that felt like it." Lydia squeezed her hand. "You know that it's okay to feel bad about it. And we can talk about it as long as you like."

Sookie looked first at Lydia and then at Maude. "Are you sure?" Lydia looked so surprised that Sookie added, "No one ever wanted to really talk about it. They just shrugged it off. Or they celebrated like it was a good thing."

"Vampires?" Maude asked. Sookie nodded. "Well," Maude continued, "I can understand why they had that reaction. When you are as old as me you've been through this kind of thing so much you just start accepting it. I'm not saying that's right. I'm just saying that after the 100th time it gets a little old." Maude looked down, breaking eye contact with the younger woman. "Things will change for us, Sookie. And that change will not be easy. It will be especially hard for those of us who are older." Maude settled back. "Think about how old we are. When I was first made the frontier was Albany, New York. We were a colony of England. Human lives were short and brutal. If they didn't die of disease they were the exception. Even humans were pretty callous about death then. As a young woman, you were lucky if one in three of your babies made it out of infancy. If your baby was born in the winter and it survived, it was a miracle. Now think about living as a vampire. If you were caught you were staked or worse. You had to hide in the dirt and keep moving. We couldn't form any relationships with creatures other than our makers. To become attached was to risk everything. There was a time that if you were traveling with a companion and that vampire showed signs of being close to a human you were obligated to end the threat."

Sookie looked closely at Maude. She could see the extreme loneliness that lay behind the woman's eyes. "That seems such a terrible way to live."

"Yes. It was terrible in many ways. But it was the only way. Now slap that against all the changes humans have made in what is acceptable. I remember when a great Sunday afternoon was taking the family to a hanging on the green. You know they used to sell snacks? "

Sookie found herself smiling in spite of the grim image she had in her head.

"Yes," said Maude. "It is strange. But imagine how much stranger to be your friend Eric Northman? Why in his day…" Maude stopped when Lydia placed a hand on her arm. Maude noticed that the blood seemed to have drained from Sookie's face. Her lips looked pinched and her eyes suddenly looked too big for her face.

"You know Eric?" She was smiling a wide almost frantic smile, but her lips were trembling.

"I've known Eric a long time." Maude remained quiet, simply staring. Lydia walked over to Sookie and put her arm around her.

"Why don't we say goodnight to Maude? She is expected back at the main house and we have a lot to get ready." The smile that Sookie had plastered on her face never changed. But she nodded and turned around in response to the pressure Lydia exerted.

As Maude turned and let herself out, she heard Lydia tell Sookie, "One of the things I can promise you is that you won't have to face these things alone anymore. You will always have someone to call who knows what you have gone through and who understands your feelings. I will never shrug off your experiences. I have walked in your shoes."

Lydia and Sookie bundled around the room. Lydia gave the telepath time to pull herself together. Then Lydia stilled and said, "Thalia and Bubba will want to come to say goodbye. Are you up to that?"

Sookie looked at Lydia, and then nodded. "I'm sorry about earlier. It just took me by surprise."

Lydia tilted her head to the side. Sookie thought how in that moment she looked like a curious bird. "What was surprising? That Maude knew of the Viking?"

Sookie swallowed quickly, then looked down and got busy again. "No. How much hearing his name hurts. I haven't heard anyone speak about him in a long time."

Lydia waited. When it was clear Sookie wouldn't say more, Lydia asked, "Do you want to talk about it now?"

"No," the telepath said.

"Ok, what about Thalia and Bubba?"

"Of course," Sookie said and she lifted her face to show her slightly crazed smile again.

In the end, the farewells with both Bubba and Thalia were brief. Thalia was due at the main house to welcome the arriving monarchs. Bubba was dressed in his favorite white jumpsuit with rhinestones. His hair was precisely styled. He looked very much like how he had been. Sookie hugged Bubba, and he smiled his crooked smile.

Sookie took a step toward Thalia. "Don't even think about it breather. " Then Thalia gave her one of her rare smiles. "Get better. Come back to us soon. Things are too boring when you aren't around."

"I promise," said Sookie and the door shut behind them. Sleep came quickly and morning came all too soon.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next morning the sedan dropped them at the airport. Lydia and Sookie would fly in a private jet to LaGuardia in New York. From there a livery car would take them the rest of the way to the small town in northwest Connecticut where Sanctum was nestled.

Lydia had considered using commercial airlines. Sookie needed to strengthen her shields and being among disinterested crowds could give her that opportunity. Once they reached Sanctum it was likely that Sookie's shielding would not work. The facility had been warded by witches to protect it from any who carried ill will toward the place or the guests. In addition, there was a dampening spell that caused any and all magic to be dispelled. If you were trying to glamour, it wouldn't work. If you were trying to send dreams, they couldn't be sent. Beings could not teleport or fly within the borders of Sanctum. You could not materialize objects or cause objects or persons to stop, change or transport someplace else. There were some things that could not be stopped because they were things that were too deeply placed within a person's DNA. Two-natured could still shift. Vampires would still be damaged by sunlight. Creatures could still die within the walls or on the grounds of Sanctum. But creatures were restrained by unseen hands from trying to kill or harm each other. Lydia suspected that Sookie's telepathy would continue to function at Sanctum. It seemed just too much a part of her to be considered magic.

What she hoped would stop were the random things that she had glimpsed manifesting themselves around the telepath. Lydia had entered the room one morning to find an empty bed. She had sat down to wait for Sookie's return. When she settled and looked back toward the door, Sookie was in her bed sleeping. Lydia couldn't explain it, but she didn't dismiss it either.

Another time they had been talking about a book they had both read, Jon Krakauer's _Into Thin Air_. Sookie had mentioned that she had searched the shelves hoping that it might be in her room but had been disappointed. She had hoped to re-read it. When Lydia checked in on her later that evening, she found Sookie reading the book. Lydia asked where she had found it and Sookie told her she thought Lydia had sent it. Sookie had found it on the bedside table when she woke up from her nap.

Lydia suspected that Sookie had brought the book to herself, using powers she tapped into her dream state. Tracking and bringing objects were fae traits as was shapeshifting. It could be that either Sookie had grown into her powers or her ordeal had somehow kick started something that allowed her to tap into the essential spark that she embodied. If this was the case and Sookie was not emotionally stable, this could be an extraordinarily dangerous time for both herself and those around her. Fortunately her abilities only seemed to work when she was sleeping. Since they would be traveling during daylight hours, there should be no concern. Lydia decided to not take unnecessary risks by being among too many people. When Russell and Bartlett had offered the use of their private jet, Lydia accepted it.

The car pulled into the private hangar at Jackson International Airport. There was a steward to open their door. Lydia drew Sookie toward the jet awaiting them. The pilot made an effort to shake their hands, and the steward stowed their bags. Within a half hour of arriving, they were airborne and on their way. The entire flight was scheduled to take about four hours and the two women spent their time reading and looking out the windows.

The weather was blustery. December in New York was always a toss-up. Sometimes it was snowy and cold. Other times it was sunny and mild. Today you felt how close it was to the ocean. The wind felt raw-edged. Sookie shivered as she rushed into the waiting car. She had no winter clothes suited for northern temperatures. Once Lydia was seated, she pointed to clothing that was on the bench seat that faced their own. "There is a winter coat there and gloves. Once we at Sanctum you will find clothing for the climate. Berkshire is in a snowy, windy corner of New England. It's beautiful, but for someone who has lived their whole life in the south, it will take some adjusting." Sookie nodded and reached for the coat. "There are boots there as well. Might as well trade out those flats for something that will keep your toes warm."

"Well, how cold does it get here?" Sookie asked. She knew that she suffered from chills at home when the winter rolled around. There were days it was really nippy and she remembered what snow looked like, although she hadn't seen any in a long time.

"Right now it's in the low teens. There's snow on the ground that's been there since Thanksgiving. We sometimes get a thaw in January, but mostly it stays below freezing until March or so."

Sookie couldn't think of what to say. She found herself thinking that this place would be a prison to her just because she wouldn't be able to bring herself to step outside the door. Lydia caught the woman's panicked face. "You get used to it. Wearing the right clothes makes all the difference. You'll see. You'll be making snowballs and playing in it before you know." Sookie somehow doubted that.

The drive to where they were headed took almost as long at the plane ride. There was no direct highway that took them where they were headed. It seemed that they had no sooner left New York then they were on a series of one and two lane roads winding through little villages of two story wood houses surrounding white churches with high pointed steeples. More often than not, there was some sort of green space that served as a circle around which all the buildings were placed. There were Christmas wreaths and ribbons and Sookie felt sad thinking that this would be another Christmas without her family around her. Then she remembered that terrible Christmas that she had gone to see Michele and Jason; the Christmas that Sam had punished her. Sookie decided not to think about Christmas anymore.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Lydia asked her.

"Ain't hardly worth that much," Sookie mumbled and kept her face to the window, watching the landscape slide by.

When they pulled into the drive between the two dark stone pillars, Sookie noticed how there were low stone walls that were on both sides of the road. On one side were woods that seemed to stretch out for some distance, although it was hard to see too far. Even with all the leaves off the trees the area was dense. On the other side the lands was sloping and open like a field. In the distance it dropped off and Sookie could see another hill rising beyond it. There were more woods on that far hill and what appeared to be more stone walls in between. Everywhere she looked the ground and trees were covered in white. When the late day sun came out from behind the clouds it would reflect off the surfaces like hard diamonds. It hurt her eyes to look directly at it.

It took almost 10 minutes before they came around a curve to see the building in front of them. It was a two story wood structure painted white. There was a large barn off to the back and more buildings scattered around. There were wings that extended from both sides. The drive made a circle that passed under a covered carport. The driver stopped there and the double doors into the building opened.

When the car door was opened and Sookie stepped out, she felt her breath was almost stolen from her chest with the sharpness of the cold. Lydia climbed out and stood beside her. She inhaled deeply through her nose. "You smell that quality in the air, Sookie? That sharpness?" Sookie shivered and nodded. She wasn't sure what Lydia was talking about, but if it got her closer to the door faster she was willing to agree to anything. Lydia continued. "That smell is snow in the air. It'll snow tonight. It's how you know." Then with a smile on her face, Lydia linked her arm through Sookie's and brought the younger woman into the building.

The doors were closed behind them and a second set opened into the large hallway of the main building. A lovely woman dressed in a tweed skirt and low boots came forward.

"Welcome home, Miss Lydia!" She hugged Lydia, and then turned her gaze to the telepath. "And you must be Miss Sookie. Welcome to Sanctum."

Sookie nodded. She couldn't help but sweep her eyes around her. There was a large round table set on a colorful oriental rug. There were greens and holly in a colored glass vase. A tall grandfather clock ticked off the hours from its place along the wall. There was a room to one side that had seating and a fire; to the other side there was a formal dining table with a fancy breakfront full of china.

"Sookie, this is Barbara. She is my best right hand."

Sookie extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

Barbara took her hand and squeezed it. "We are so happy you have come. I hope you will be comfortable here for as long as you wish to stay." When Barbara smiled it seemed to go all the way through Sookie, and she found herself smiling back. "Why don't I show you to your rooms? You can settle and then we'll see about getting you something to eat." She glanced back at Lydia. "Was it a good flight?"

"Yes," said Lydia. "But we've been traveling for almost eight hours. I don't know about Sookie, but I'm exhausted!"

Sookie nodded. "Me too. I'd love to see everything, but do you think we could wait for tomorrow?"

"Of course," Barbara said. "Let's get you settled. If you want to eat dinner down here, that would be fine, or I can arrange a tray to be sent to your room."

Sookie closed her eyes. Suddenly everything seemed overwhelming. She felt a rush of heat flow over her followed by cold. She felt light headed. Her eyes popped open and she looked at Lydia. "A tray would be good," she said in a voice that sounded small.

Lydia stepped forward and took the telepath's arm. "Come on Sookie. I'll show you where you'll be staying. Barb, why don't you get that tray started. And have the bag sent over." Lydia half supported Sookie and they took the passage that led from the back of the entry hall and bore left. Sookie registered that they were in a connecting hall that had windows along one side. There were doors at intervals along the other wall. Lydia stopped at the third door to the right. She opened the door and turned on the light.

Sookie stepped into a large comfortable bedroom. There was a lovely old fashioned canopy bed to the left. There was a chest at the foot of the bed and a double set of closet doors in the wall beyond. To the right was another door and an arched opening that led to a separate sitting area. There were windows in the sitting area and what looked like a door to the outside. Beyond the windows everything was dark.

Lydia moved around the room, turning on lights. She opened the door that was across from the bed to show Sookie a lovely private bathroom complete with a shower. Sookie noticed the floor was wide-board wood. All the furnishings seemed like antiques, but not fussy antiques. She was reminded of her home in Bon Temps and how comfortable everything was even though it was old. She felt homesick.

The women turned as the door to the hall opened and a man brought in Sookie's suitcase. He bowed to Lydia then touched his forehead in an old fashioned gesture. "Happy to have you with us, Miss," he said. Then he left just as quickly as he'd come.

Lydia crossed to the closet doors and opened them. Behind the doors was a combination of shelves, hanging rack and drawers. There were clothes already in place. Lydia met Sookie's questioning look. "Of course we anticipated you wouldn't have the right clothes for this climate. Everything here was provided by the kings. I think you'll find everything fits." Sookie opened her mouth to protest, but Lydia continued," There are rules here. You are not the only guest. There are two others who are visiting us. One will leave us soon and I don't anticipate anyone else joining us." Sookie nodded to show she understood. Lydia brought Sookie to the two chairs. Together, they sat down. "Now tonight you will have a tray here for dinner. But you will be expected to join us in the dining room for formal dinner every night. Breakfast is a buffet. Lunch is whatever you choose. You can eat here in your room or in the dining room." Lydia paused to make sure Sookie was listening. "You will need to get up every day and dress yourself. We don't allow our guests to lounge around in their pajamas. Your work will start tomorrow. You will have a combination of physical and mental activities every day. Most of your time here will be spent in sessions; both individual and with your fellow guests."

Sookie couldn't help herself. "I'm not sure I want to see anyone else. I won't know what to say."

Lydia gave her a stern look. Sookie thought that in that moment she could almost see her Gran standing behind Lydia scolding her about being a cry baby. "Sookie, everyone who comes here has had the same kinds of experiences you have had. They have found themselves on the receiving end of terrible things. They've witnessed more than their minds were prepared to see. They've had to kill to defend themselves. Never doubt that here you are among friends."

**Vicksburg:**

Pam and Maude sat on the bench by Indian Mound within the confines of the National Cemetery at Vicksburg. Its location marked a no man's land between the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. The quiet space surrounded by white markers somehow seemed fitting.

It was a dark night but both women could see perfectly well. Although it was late in the season, the night was filled with sound; frogs and screech owls reminded them that they were never truly alone.

Maude reached over and took Pam's hand in her own. "You look good, Pamela D. Being a boss agrees with you. Although I never doubted that you were meant for big things."

Pam squeezed her hand back. "I've missed you Maude. Maxwell is a good partner and I trust him. But it's different. Eric is really gone from me. He closed off his end of the bond and it's like walking around with a big gaping hole inside. It's like I can feel that he's there. I mean I think I would know if he were to be killed. But it is so lonely."

"Have you heard from Karin?" Maude asked.

Pam nodded. "It's the same for her. Only I think it's worse. Karin was so happy Eric called her back. He had left her to her own pursuits for a much longer time. You know how attached she is to him. I think it was doubly hard when she realized she'd been called just to be left behind again."

"Guarding Sookie?"

"Yes. Guarding the woman who was meant to be our mistress."

Maude turned her head then and gave Pam a searching look. This was news. Pam nodded then continued. "Eric loved her. He was crazy with worry. It's the only time I think he found himself in a place where no matter what he tried it just came up shit. Even I couldn't believe it. Every time he tried something; every move he made would go wrong."

"Where was Sookie in all this?"

Pam smiled in a way that was not happy. "She was just making everything so much harder. They weren't living together. She had fairy relatives; male relatives living in her house. She was telling people that they weren't married. "

"Well, that could explain her reaction when I saw her this week," Maude said.

"Who? Sookie Stackhouse?" Pam took Maude's hand. "Do I want to know where she is?"

Maude smiled. "Well, by now she's in Connecticut in Sanctum. But when I saw her she was a guest of Russell and Bartlett."

Pam looked away before she asked, "How was she?"

"From what I heard a lot better than when she'd arrived. Lydia came herself to collect her. She'd been there for a while." Maude linked her arm around Pam and drew her close. "She looked good. She told me some stories about some of the crazy things the two of you got up to in Shreveport. She was laughing. I got the impression she hasn't' done much laughing lately. She was kind of rusty if you catch my meaning." Maude paused for a while. Both women looked ahead, listening to the night sounds.

"She told me about Corinna and Bruno."

Pam started. "She did?" Pam thought back to that terrible night. "She was so level headed that night. She staked Bruno herself. She thought of things I didn't." Pam shook her head. "She was so calm; like she'd been doing this all her life. You should have seen how straight her back was when she walked into her house after. No tears. No trembling." Pam snorted. "Eric told her over the phone that he was proud of her." Pam captured Maude's eyes. "I owe her my life."

"When I said his name she looked like she'd seen a ghost."

"What do you mean?" Pam's brows came together as she considered this information.

"I thought she might faint. Lydia swooped in and changed the subject and I got the bums rush to get out the door."

Pam looked at her friend. "What do you think it meant?"

Maude shook her head. "I'm not sure." Maude drew an unnecessary breath. "But I am here to ask you about your maker. Pam, if he was given an opportunity to get out of his marriage and come back to Louisiana, do you think he'd consider it?"

"How would that happen, do you think?" Pam felt something start to grow within her. It might have been hope.

"Amun Clan would like to see him return. They want him to become a King."

"Felipe would never consider that. It would mean Eric would have to betray his pledge."

"Yes. He would." Maude waited to allow this to sink in. "He might consider that the pledge he took was under duress. He either pledged or he would meet the same fate as the other Louisiana sheriffs. That might count for something. Of course, there is still the contract. I know a little about your maker and the time he came from. It will mean much more than just signing paper to him. It will be his word and the word and honor of his maker.

Pam looked at Maude. "But that will be null if there is proof that one of the parties broke the accord."

Maude looked at her. "You know something."

Pam nodded. "Felipe came to see me. He told me that Freyda broke the contract. He is headed to Oklahoma to tell Eric."

Maude squeezed her hand. "Oh Pamela D! The gods must be happy that they play with us so!"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Lake Aluma:**

Angie straightened from her bow. She smiled brightly at the seated Queen, and then raised her eyes to the tall figure that stood behind the throne. "Eric Northman, greetings from my Master. I hope that you will have some time later for me. I have some personal messages that I have been asked to relay to you."

Eric's eyes widened. "_Yes_," Angie thought. "_That got his attention_."

"What kind of messages?" Freyda half rose from her chair. Her voice took on a whiny quality. "I'm sure you can just tell both of us. After all, we're married. It's not like we have any secrets from each other." She looked back at Eric, her mouth in a tight line. "Right?"

Eric looked at her. He didn't respond. Freyda hurried on. "See, my loving consort doesn't have any objections." And Freyda sat back, looking expectantly.

"Oh noble queen, I wish I was at liberty to do as you ask. However, my master was most specific. I am to relay this information to Eric Northman alone. His words were, 'I wish the consort to have privacy in his contemplation of this news.' I must comply with my master's wishes." Angie bowed again. From her position she added, "I'm sure the consort will share with you later."

Freyda's fangs descended. She was actually snarling. "You will tell me. You will tell me now. Eric doesn't have secrets from me. What is Felipe trying to do?"

Angie looked up and allowed her fangs to descend as well. "If you have a problem with the King, I suggest you take it up with the King." She pulled the phone from her jacket pocket. "Perhaps you would choose to call the King now."

For a moment Angie thought the Queen would do just that. Then she seemed to pull herself together and sat back. She settled a prissy look on her face. "No. No of course not. It just took me by surprise. Of course, I'm grateful that you have come to help arrange for his visit. And of course you can have some time with Eric." She looked over her shoulder at the Viking. "If you are amenable, husband."

During this whole exchange, Eric Northman has remained impassive. He replied to Freyda's question with a single nod of his head.

Freyda bit her lower lip, and then turned back to Angie with a smile. "See? All settled!" She stood up and walked down the steps to Angie. She held out her hand for Angie to kiss. Then she signaled that Angie should walk with her. "Well, let's talk about the welcome ball for our dear friend, Felipe."


	13. Chapter 13 - Clouds on the Horizon

NOTE: Thank you for sharing this journey with me. I look forward to hearing from you. And special thanks to Breathesgirl, my beta extraordinaire!

Chapter 13 – Clouds on the Horizon

**Lake Aluma**:

The day approached for Felipe de Castro's arrival. Angie had spent much of her time with Freyda and Freyda's staff making suggestions and providing support. A ball was planned. An intimate dinner with politicians and business people both locally and from Oklahoma City. Outings to local night clubs were vetted out.

Eric noticed that each day seemed to mark the arrival of more of Felipe's people from Nevada. Angie explained them as advance staff for the King. "He just doesn't travel light anymore," she'd said with a shrug. Then she'd turned to Freyda and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "Men! Such egos!" And she'd giggled. Freyda giggled too.

Eric couldn't escape the feeling that they were being invaded; the palace was methodically being infiltrated by an enemy force. He tried to mention it to Freyda but she cut him off. "You want to tell me something? Tell me what that piece of trash Angie has to say that's oh so important?"

Eric had nothing to tell her. Since the request in the throne room Angie had made no further mention of the message for him. In his current position, Eric did not think that it made much difference if he asked her to tell him. Frankly he wasn't in a position to ask anything. Angie would tell him when her timing was right. Or it was possible there was no message and the entire episode was staged to determine the state of his relationship with the Queen.

"_If there was any question about the degree of harmony in this match, there could be no question now_," the Viking thought. Freyda had treated him like her lap dog since the beginning. She had paraded him and provided his wardrobe. She assigned him rooms but had made clear it she expected him to be waiting attendance on her in her chambers when she called. Eric had quickly realized she had no real duties for him. In fact, she didn't want him involved in anything that had to do with the running of the kingdom.

"Don't you worry yourself about that," was her standard answer to any inquiry he made. "That's why we pay…" and then she would fill in the blank. She had accountants and lawyers and consultants. From what Eric could see most were lazy. Some were outright corrupt. Some tried to do a decent job but without any kind of supervision or support their performance had fallen into a kind of disconnected apathy. Although he was not allowed to see a balance sheet for the kingdom Eric was fairly certain that Freyda's wealth was dwindling.

Freyda had no strong vampires around her. There was a small circle of boot lickers who spent their time complimenting her and encouraging her to buy things that profited their own purposes. When Eric had asked about identifying and developing vampires as a defensive force, Freyda had scoffed. "Oh Eric! Like anyone has to worry about that anymore! We're mainstreaming now. No one does bloody coups! It's not like when Sophie-Ann was around, you know. Things have changed!" Then she had rubbed herself against him and purred in a voice that sounded like sandpaper, "Besides, everybody loves me." She had used it as an opportunity to offer herself to him again, dropping to her knees. He had walked away from her and not opened the conversation again.

While their normal relationship was strained the idea of a secret message had put Freyda's paranoia in overdrive. She would smile broadly at Angie and then hiss at him. She had started to confront him at odd times. If he was out of her sight for more than a few minutes she would find a way to place herself in front of him where Angie couldn't see. She would demand to know if he had talked with the vampire. She demanded that he promise her he would tell her what was said.

At first Eric would tell her that there had been no conversation. When the stalking and confronting continued he pointed out that he would share with her when the conversation took place but under their contract he was under no obligation to share secrets that were personal with her and he would not promise to do so. She would fly into a flurry of speculation and recrimination. He would hiss at her that next time she should remember to include that clause in any future purchase agreement for a spouse. She would storm away only to replay the scene the next time they had been apart; and then the next.

Even the training areas were not exempt from Freyda's carping and prying. Eric would move through the fighting forms that allowed him to find his inner peace only to look up and see her. He found that he had started to internally count off the time until Felipe's arrival as well. He noticed the looks of pity shot his way from De Castro's people on those occasions that Freyda was unable to restrain herself until she found a private location to berate him. It rankled to be pitied by anyone, much less younger vampires.

Good or bad, the arrival of the king would mean that the stalking and screaming could return to the dull roar it had been before the arrival of the King's minion. This level of disruption forced Eric to react. Reaction required feeling. Feeling reminded him of his position as less than a servant. It was better to have the dull sameness. It made the marking off of his sentence run faster. It made him able to numb himself so he didn't have to think about everything that he was missing. And everyone.

As he lay on his bed that night following his feeding he found his mind slipping back to those terrible last days in Shreveport. He still could not understand how he had allowed himself to be so betrayed by Sookie Stackhouse. He found himself counting the number of times she had told him she loved him. He remembered the few times she had called herself his wife. The pain of those memories was like a bitter taste in his mouth. He remembered with clarity the joy he had felt. He remembered holding her and laughing with her. He remembered seeing the look in her eyes and thinking; believing with all his heart that she had meant those words. But in the end it had all been a lie.

It had always ever been what was convenient for her. She never wanted to discuss their relationship. When things were hard for him, she never offered to come to his side to help. He thought back on all the times he had put himself in danger to help her. Dallas. The Maenad. Angering Andre. Angering his queen. Never once did she turn to him and offer to make one sacrifice to make his life easier. Instead she had let everyone know that her relationship with him was a source of shame. She hid their union from her family and human friends. She openly associated with other men. Eric turned restlessly on the bed, facing the wall. "_What a fool I was_," he thought. "_My maker was right. It has been a hard lesson, but even from the grave Appius has taken care of me_."

It was now the evening before Felipe's arrival. The throne room was being readied. Angie was there overseeing the placement of a throne for the Nevada king. Eric came in trailing Freyda. Angie bowed and then from her position facing the floor said, "Eric Northman? Might you have a few moments you could spare me?"

Freyda looked at her husband. Eric waited for Angie to straighten up before responding, "I am at your service." Freyda turned her eyes back to Angie. She was clearly angry. Eric could feel the rage emanating from her like a living thing.

Angie glanced at the French doors that led to the snowy patio area. "Perhaps outside?" Eric nodded and motioned that she should precede him. He followed her. He and every other vampire in the area could hear Freyda's hiss.

Once they were outside, Angie turned to him and said, "Is there a place that is private? What I have to say is for your ears only."

Eric nodded. "If you will indulge me I can fly us both to an area not far from here. It is unguarded."

Angie raised her arms indicating her willingness. Eric walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. The woman lowered her arms to cover his. Eric lifted her into the sky and flew to a slight rise that held a small clump of trees. Once there he carefully set her down. He stepped away from her and looked back at the palace. It seemed a small pool of light in the dark empty quiet of the land.

The sky this night was a great bowl of stars. There was no moon to wash out the sky. Eric found himself remembering a time in his human life when the sky had looked this way. Those had been the days that he had been a-Viking. He would find himself on night watch helping the helmsman to keep the long boat pointed to the wind. Men would be sleeping all around. The sky would look as it did now; the stars layering above him in an infinity of light and pattern. He remembered feeling how large the world was around him and how for all his troubles he was but a moment in something so much larger than himself. It had given him comfort. Now, facing yet another uncertainty, Eric found the same sense of comfort in the unchanging night sky.

Without turning to face her Eric asked, "Are you going to end me?" It was strange to think that although he had not put that thought into words over the last week it had been in his mind. He found the possibility strangely restful. When Godric had met the sun in Dallas Eric had not been able to understand the motivation that would lead to that kind of decision. Now he felt he did. On his better days he knew that 200 years was a moment in his long life. But on days like today when the strain had been so palpable, he found that he was tired of this existence. He wondered if the same maker that had created the stars in all their glory had a place where those who passed could find their way to try again. As a youth he had believed in Valhalla. He had worshipped Thor and Freya and Odin All Father. He supposed he still did. Perhaps, if this was his moment of Ragnarock they would be waiting to greet him.

When the woman did not respond Eric turned to her. He held his hands at his side. He kept his face neutral. He realized she had been watching him. There was nothing in her hands which made him suppose that ending him was not the plan for today.

Eric lowered his head and took a breath to center himself. When he felt himself calm he met her eyes. "What is it you have to ask me?" he said.

Now she smiled. "Ask you? What makes you think that there is a question,Viking?"

"I do not have time for games, Angie. If it were not some request you would not have hesitated to deliver your message in public. You have a full force within the palace walls. You have people placed in every strategic position. If you are not here to end me, what is it you want of me?"

"It would seem to me that all you have is time, Eric," the woman said. "I would think you would welcome a chance to escape the crowding and harassment that dogs your every step."

Eric looked back at the palace. "She is not a pleasant companion. She does not make my time here easy."

"Oh? Because you offered her that opportunity?" When Eric looked at her, Angie nodded. "You know how to push buttons Viking. You can let her know with the lift of an eyebrow how much you dislike her. A woman would need to be made of iron to withstand the weight of your disapproval."

Eric felt his lip lifting in a sneer. "Are you here to offer marriage counseling, then?"

"No." Eric could feel the shift to the business at hand. She began. "I bring greetings from King Felipe de Castro. This is his message." She shifted and Eric could see her remembering the words as they had been told to her.

"Eric Northman. Six years ago I stood as witness and supporter of a marriage contract between yourself and the Queen of Oklahoma. I was reluctant to lose you as a Sheriff. You were ever a loyal supporter. Your progeny does well, but no one can replace you in my retinue. I was only willing to allow you to go because it is only right that loyalty should be rewarded.

This match was one that was arranged by your maker. As a supporter of our ways I honored that wish even after he met his final death. He was ever mindful of you and your future. He spoke well of you during his visit to my kingdom and I was honored to have spent time in his presence. He was a great vampire.

I knew that through this union you would gain power, riches and position. As consort to Oklahoma you would be positioned for greater things. All would be able to see the promise and talent that you demonstrated as my subject. As your king I was pleased at your success. I have ever been your advocate.

The news that I bring you this day through my loyal companion," at this Angie bowed, "attacks both our honors. I regret to inform you that the conditions and terms of the contract have been broken by your lady wife. As witness to your contract this impacts my honor as well and I place myself at your disposal."

Eric hissed, his fangs descending. Angie startled and stopped speaking. Eric found he was unsettled. He looked away, then back to her. He nodded for her to continue.

"I have spoken with Narayana Clan. Tomorrow I will arrive and overthrow your Queen. Oklahoma will join my kingdom. It is my desire that you assume the role of Regent reporting only to me."

Eric started again, turning away. His mind whirred through the news. There had been many possibilities that had occurred to him. This had not been one of them. He turned back to Angie. "What of Pam? What of Louisiana?"

Angie tilted her head, considering him. "I take it you agree?"

Eric realized that he did. "Yes."

"Pam is a valued sheriff. There is no need for concern. She will remain in Area 5. Felipe will be making some decisions soon about the oversight of that state. It would help him to know that he has two strong vampires; vampires whose loyalty he can trust behind him." She met his eyes and held them. "Are you that, Viking? Are you a strong and loyal vampire willing to renew your pledge of fealty to my king?"

Eric thought about the implications. He knew the state and had a decent handle on the situation of the assets. He would be free of the contract and Freyda. He would retain his position. In fact his situation would improve. Although he would still have a master he would be Regent. Even Horst would have to defer to him. He would be free to see Pam and Karin again. And Sookie… " He pulled himself back. Where had that thought come from? If anything that was the fly in the ointment. It was better to be here at some distance. He was not likely to see the telepath or her shifter husband if he remained here.

Eric Northman bowed his head slightly to the woman. "I was honored to be Felipe De Castro's subject in Louisiana. I would be honored to associate myself with him again. I accept his offer and pledge my fealty."

Angie smiled. "Oh Eric, he will be so pleased!"


	14. Chapter 14 - A Sudden Squall

**NOTE**: I have received so many wonderful reviews and suggestions. I thank you for your reading and for taking the time to share with me. I means a great deal to me and I appreciate it. A special thank you for Breathesgirl. Your sharp eye, fact-checking and insight are a gift.

Chapter 14 – A Sudden Squall

In the days that followed Pam would ask Eric why he hadn't questioned the nature of the contract transgression with Angie. When he reflected he realized that his failure to ask such a fundamental question spoke to the depth of his depression more eloquently than any other thing. She asked him if he had known that the transgression involved the agreement about Sookie Stackhouse, would he have made a different decision? Would he have turned down the regency?

If Eric was honest with himself, he would admit that even had he known all the facts that night he would have still chosen Oklahoma over returning to Louisiana and the telepath. But he also admitted that knowing would have been better.

The feeling Eric most vividly remembered from his conversation with Angie was the sense of having a great yoke lifted from his neck.

The chain of his maker's command when he was first made vampire was heavy and harsh. Appius Livius Ocella had been a stern and demanding task master. He had enforced a particular code that fit the times from which he sprang. It never occurred to him that anyone: humans, weres or his own progeny were there for any other purpose than to serve his needs. He was oldest. It was his right to be revered. As his child it had fallen to Eric to cater to his maker's every need. It had taken many years to not feel the revulsion that had first accompanied his new role as his master's primary sexual partner. As he had told Sookie Stackhouse so many years ago he had come to appreciate that form of sexual pleasure but it had not been at first.

Appius had felt the need to inflict humiliation as a teaching tool. When Appius felt Eric was not sufficiently eager to please him or when he was short of funds, Appius would sell Eric's body to others to use. Sometimes the job assigned was as a common laborer, but more often it was as a whore. While Eric was a great fighter, Appius preferred not to have Eric use that skill for money. There was too great a risk of being found out as vampire were he to be injured. Appius presented Eric as a slave and treated him accordingly.

What struck Eric and stayed with him was his sense that this second time of imprisonment; this forced contract had been more personally painful to him than his time with Appius. If Eric had to put his finger on it, it was that with Appius he had no choice. He was compelled to obey by forces outside himself. Additionally, Appius was cruel but he never pretended Eric had no value.

This contract with Oklahoma was a chain of his own forging. His sense of honor; a code that stretched back to his human life required that he uphold his promise and the promise of his maker. That was difficult. But it was Freyda's lack of respect for him that made the situation beyond bearing. Freyda had forced him to be useless. He was relegated to being a fixture at her back. Everything that he valued about himself; all the knowledge and cunning of a life lived was counted as nothing by her. He amused himself with reading and with arms practice. His days stretched endlessly before him and within the first year he could feel the walls closing in around him. "_Yes_," he thought to himself. "_I would have done anything to have escaped this prison_."

King Felipe de Castro arrived in a procession of black cars and a sweep of his cape. He made an impressive figure striding down the length of the throne room. Freyda rose from her throne and walked forward to meet him. They bowed deeply to each other near the middle of the room.

"Your majesty!" Freyda gushed.

"Your highness!" he returned.

She turned and they both walked together to the dais where there were two thrones set side by side.

"Oh, we have so many wonderful things planned for all of us. This is going to be the best visit. Felipe, it has been just too long!" Freyda fluttered her eyelashes at her fellow monarch.

"You are so right my dear one. Angie tells me that there is a dinner planned for tomorrow night to be followed with a ball? "

"Yes and the theme is Casablanca! Angie thought of it. We'll all wear those wonderful clothes and the ball room will look just like Rick's Café American. They are already working on it!"

Felipe smiled. "Well, you must allow me to be Rick. Will you be my lovely Ilsa?" Freyda laughed and nodded.

They were at the dais and mounting the broad step to the thrones. Eric had remained at his station behind the Queen's chair.

"Northman." Felipe acknowledged.

"Your majesty," Eric replied and bowed, though not low as was befitting a consort.

"You must be treating him well Freyda. The Viking looks good." Freyda smiled tightly at the king.

"Yes. We try." She cut her eyes at her husband. She waited for him to say something embarrassing. But it didn't come.

"Well Northman. If I am to be Rick to your lovely wife's Ilsa at the ball tomorrow, then you must be Victor Laszlo."

Eric smiled. "Ah, the freedom fighter. It will be my pleasure." Freyda started. The smile on Eric's face was the first she could remember seeing in some time.

"Yes, Eric. It will be fun." She looked unsure, but then looked pleased. Eric checked himself. If he were to act too far from character she could become suspicious. But the right amount of thawing could distract her until it was too late.

They continued by the thrones and proceeded to the antechamber that was located behind the dais. The room was more informal. Freyda retrieved a goblet of Royalty Blended from a nearby tray for her guest. "Of course I have donors on call; all blood types if you prefer."

Felipe waved her off. "Soon. But for now I just want to sit with you and catch up on all the news."

The evening passed quickly. There was small talk of the casinos and the flap over using the harbors near New Orleans. Freyda shared the local gossip of Oklahoma City and the things she and Angie had done during the previous week. Felipe was surprised at how small her view of the world had become. "_Yes_," he thought. "_Just as well that she be replaced_."

The next evening the whole palace was ablaze. Special guests arrived dressed like 1940s movie stars. They were attending the formal dinner. Freyda had hired chefs from two of the most prestigious restaurants in the city. The table gleamed with platinum wear, china and crystal. There was background music piped low to create ambience. Candle light and flowers decorated every surface. Freyda wore a lovely long gown with a stole that draped dramatically from her shoulders. Felipe and Eric were both in white dinner jackets. Horst had dressed like Louis Renault although someone was heard to remark he looked more like Major Strasser. Angie came as Yvonne and the entire staff wore the fez hats featured in the film.

Once dinner concluded the entire party retired to the ballroom. Those who had not rated the dinner invitation were arriving for the ball. Freyda and Felipe stood at the door to formally receive their guests. While there were a number of vampires and some two –natured but the majority of guests were the Who's Who of Oklahoma human society. There was even a House representative and his wife. Eric stood beside Freyda. Freyda was willing to shake hands and had worn gloves especially for the occasion. Felipe and Eric nodded.

The room was set up around a large dance floor. Round tables shone with white table cloths. Table size had been kept to no more than six guests apiece to maintain the café feel. There were casino games to one end and each guest was supplied with a stack of chips. Extra chips were available with all proceeds going to support the local children's hospital. There was a swing band playing. They were followed by a torch singer and then an ensemble. All the music was drawn from tunes that had been popular during World War II in Paris and New York.

Once the reception line was finished, Felipe and Freyda entered the ballroom. The band struck up a sentimental waltz and the monarchs led the first dance. Then the band played "As Time Goes By." Felipe held his hand out to Angie and she glided into his arms. "Dance with your wife," Felipe said to Eric. Eric pulled himself up and, without making eye contact, held his hand out to Freyda.

Freyda was stunned. Eric had never offered to dance with her before. She almost didn't know what to do and then she reached for his hand and he swept her onto the floor. The smile on her face trembled. To anyone looking they appeared to be a couple deeply in love. During the song he turned his face toward hers. "You did a nice job. The room looks lovely."

Freyda gasped and then stammered, "Thank you." A broad smile lit her face. She almost looked lovely. Eric couldn't wait for her to be dead.

As the evening progressed, the Nevada and Oklahoma groups started quoting lines from the movie. Horst turned to Eric and said, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," to which Eric replied, "You know how you sound? Like a man who's convincing himself of something he doesn't believe in his heart."

Angie teased Freyda that she needed to make sure that they all caught the plane to Lisbon; "the last plane." Freyda quipped that it didn't take much to see that the problems of little people like themselves "didn't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world."

Eric looked directly at her and finished the line. "Someday you'll understand that." Freyda beamed. She didn't see Felipe and Horst exchange glances.

Freyda danced all evening. Eric circulated and appeared more animated than she had ever seen him. Finally their guests were leaving. It was nearing dawn and Freyda excused herself to head to her rooms. She looked at Eric, half hoping but clearly too afraid to ask. Felipe spoke up, "I apologize for keeping your husband. I hope you won't mind if we wind down together. It has been some time since I have seen Eric and I find I wish to reminisce. Will you forgive me?"

Freyda was so happy. She and Eric had danced twice. He had danced with other guests and chatted a few times. She hoped that this was a turning point for them and she didn't want to spoil it. "Oh, of course. Well, don't forget we are taking a sleigh ride tomorrow right after dark."

"Of course I won't forget. It was lovely Freyda. A triumph." And Felipe bowed. Freyda bowed in return and left.

Felipe turned to Eric and lifted his brow. Eric indicated the direction with the sweep of his hand. "This way, majesty."

"Oh, Eric! Please call me Felipe!"

The men went to Felipe's room. Horst had swept it earlier for bugs. Felipe settled back on the loveseat and gestured toward the matching armchair.

"You played your part well tonight, Eric. Angie tells me that you are prepared."

"I have agreed majesty, but I have terms."

Felipe lifted his brows then waved his hand, indicating that the man opposite him should continue.

Eric leaned forward. "I don't believe you will find these terms difficult. In fact they are probably trifles you had already considered suggesting." Felipe stayed silent. The Viking continued. "I would like to call my child Karin back from Europe. I would like her to function as my second. I don't trust the Oklahoma vampires and I can't fix what is broken here if I am busy watching my back. Of course, she will report to Nevada first and swear her fealty to you in person." Felipe nodded. This was not a surprise. "I would like to bring Sandy Seacrest to Oklahoma for a period of time. She will be able to assist me in straightening out the spider's web of accounting. It is my opinion that most of the people Freyda has involved in her finances will need to be replaced. Sandy will bring a good head and will be able to keep you abreast of progress."

Felipe leaned back. This was a bold request and one that engendered a confidence in the Viking's dealings. Felipe smiled. "Agreed. I can have her here next week."

"I want to be able to re-open communications with Pamela."

Felipe flipped his hand. "That goes without saying. You are both my subjects. Why would I object to my key people talking?" Eric nodded.

"Anything more?" Felipe looked quizzically at the Viking. The list was short. He had expected more interesting demands.

Eric shook his head. "No. I am satisfied with the arrangement."

Felipe picked at the slub in the couch fabric. "Do you want to know how your Queen broke the contract? What she did that placed her in such peril?"

Eric realized with some surprise that he really didn't care. "If you choose to provide me with that information, I am happy to hear it. Your word is enough majesty." And Eric bowed his head.

"So subservient. You must have been truly unhappy here Viking." Felipe smiled. "I will tell you. I captured Sam Merlotte. He was on his way here to collect his reward for damaging the telepath, Sookie Stackhouse. Your Queen had been paying him for some time; perhaps before he and the telepath were even married."

Eric knew he shouldn't have cared, but his fangs had descended without conscious thought. He looked at the king, his face fierce.

Felipe continued. "Yes, I was outraged as well. I myself personally guaranteed her safety on more than one occasion. She had done me several good deeds. Thankfully your Pam was able to rescue her before he burned her alive. "Felipe shifted on the couch again. "All would have been well, but your Miss Stackhouse is such trouble. She managed to get herself kidnapped. I only recently found out that she is a guest at Sanctum. You know it?"

Eric nodded. His mind was racing. Sanctum was a place for those who had been damaged; mentally damaged. The mistress of the place had to personally approve every guest. There was money involved; a lot of money. Guests needed sponsors. What had happened to put her there? What had Sam Merlotte done? "Merlotte lives?"

"Why yes. For now." Felipe leaned back. "Of course if you wish to punish him in some way; perhaps revenge for your former wife?"

Eric forced himself to lean back and retract his fangs. "No. She is no longer mine."

"Aah. I had hoped you might wish him. It would make asking this favor so much easier."

Eric felt himself go on alert. He had been worried that there would be some sort of catch. "What would you ask of me majesty?"

Felipe looked at Eric, a smile playing on his lips. "I want you to fetch my telepath back to my kingdom. I don't know exactly who has her allegiance now but I suspect it is the Kings Edgington and Crowe. It was Thalia who took her, along with that fool Bubba. Thalia now serves the two kings. "Felipe leaned forward and placed his hand on Eric's knee. "I want you to remind Miss Stackhouse of her home and all those who love her. I want you to convince her to return to Louisiana."

"What makes you think that she will even see me?" Eric asked.

Felipe smiled. "I know because I have a message from Pam. Sanctum contacted her. They will want her to visit to help the telepath recover. And they asked specifically about having you come. Why do you think they would do that?"

Eric looked away. "Because we were lovers. Because…"

"Yes, because you were bonded and married. All the more reason she should listen to you."

Eric still couldn't meet the eyes of the king. "I would prefer to send Karin or Pam in my stead. She was friends with both. She would listen to them."

"Northman, I am trusting you with this job. Surely, it is not too much to ask in exchange for a regency."

Eric bowed his head. "Yes, majesty."

The next night the party assembled for a night sleigh ride. It was unusual to have snow in that part of Oklahoma so early in the year and the party decided to take advantage of it. The new moon was hanging in the sky and the snow had a hard crust. The bells sounded sharp in the cold air. The sleds flew. Eric remembered racing sledges behind tough little ponies across frozen fjords in another time. When they reached the far end of the long field, they turned around to view the house. The horses' breath came out in vapor clouds. The stars were bright and hard. Eric knew that while they were away the Oklahoma vampires in the palace were being herded into the ballroom. They would await the return of their party and face a choice. They would switch their allegiance or die. Thankfully there were few who stayed with them full time. They would not be missed.

Now Felipe flicked his whip and the horses started back. Eric slapped the reins on his team and they were racing again back toward the lights. When they pulled up to the driveway, Horst was waiting for them. Eric helped Freyda from the sled and handed her to Horst. Horst immediately drew her to him and placed his arm around her neck. Eric could see that in that instant she realized her danger. She looked from face to face.

"No! No!" she cried. Horst dragged her, hissing and screaming to the ballroom. There he twisted her arm until she fell to her knees.

Felipe walked to the doorway and faced the assembled group. Angie announced, "Felipe de Castro is your new king. Pledge fealty or meet your death." Every Oklahoma vampire pledged fealty. Eric wasn't surprised. No one would choose death for Freyda.

Then Felipe announced, "Eric Northman will serve here as my representative. He is my regent for Oklahoma."

Freyda suddenly found her backbone. She swore at them. She called them every foul name she could think to scream. She twisted until Horst grabbed her hair with one hand and her neck with the other. "You will stay still or I will twist your head off," he hissed.

"Well Eric," Felipe turned to Northman. He had a stake in his hand. "Would you like to do the honors?"

Eric looked at the stake, then at the king. "No majesty. It would mean I would have to touch her. That is something that I don't ever want to have to do again."

Felipe nodded. "Yes. To touch something so dishonorable is to sully oneself. Horst?" He tossed Horst the stake. Horst loosed the Queen's throat, grabbed the stake from the air and stabbed her through the breast in one smooth motion.

The Queen of Oklahoma was no more.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Jackson:**

"Rusty?" Bartlett walked into the bedroom. "Can you come out here? You will want to see this."

Russell got out of bed and grabbed his robe. Bartlett had a local news station that was streaming over the internet on the flat screen in their sitting room.

The newscaster repeated the news. "Again, we report that socialite and businesswoman Freyda Northman has been killed. She was reportedly sleigh riding with her husband and friends and was thrown from the sleigh. The police are ruling it an accident." There was footage of Eric Northman looking downcast. Felipe De Castro and Angie were standing behind him.

Russell picked up his phone and started dialing. He reached Stan almost immediately.

"You must be calling about Oklahoma." It wasn't said as a question.

"Yes. I'm seeing the news. Freyda's dead? And I'm seeing De Castro."

"It's a takeover. Oklahoma is his now. And he's appointed Eric Northman as regent."

Bartlett met Russell's eyes.

"Thank you Stan," Russell said and disconnected. He sat down heavily. Bartlett sat on the arm of the chair and draped his arm around the other monarch's shoulders.

"Well Rusty, what does it mean?"

Russell looked up into Bartlett's eyes. "It means that we start again."


	15. Chapter 15 - Boxing the Compass

Chapter 15 – Boxing the Compass

**Author's Note: **It's Valentine's Day here in the United States so I am pushing an extra chapter in celebration. Thank you to Breathesgirl. Thank you to everyone who reviews and encourages me with this work. Thank you and hope you enjoy.

**NOTE**: For those of you who are mariners you will recognize the reference. For those of you who aren't mariners the title refers to an exercise in which the points of a compass are named in the order in which they occur in a clockwise direction. It's a matter of study and discipline and requires a well-ordered mind.

**Lake Aluma:**

Eric's first order of business following Freyda's death had been to walk away from the ballroom that held the puddle that had been his wife and go to his own chambers. He had ripped down the wall sections that held the listening devices and cameras his dear wife had installed to spy on him and he destroyed each one. He then shredded the clothing and every gift that had been given him by Freyda.

It gave him satisfaction to sit down in the middle of the wreckage and start placing calls to his progeny.

The days that followed the takeover were difficult. Even for a vampire as old as Eric, keeping all the details straight was impossible.

As soon as the change in monarchy was registered; first with Narayana Clan and then with Zeus Clan; the paperwork started. Mr. Cataliades was awaiting them as they rose the next evening. He brought a team of individuals; each with a specialized area of expertise.

He bowed to the king then turned to Eric. "Greetings, Mr. Northman. It seems that we are meeting under slightly different circumstances than the last time." Eric nodded. His last conversations with the demon lawyer had been in connection with his attempts to finding a way out of the marriage.

"Yes it is different," smiled Eric. "But it would seem we have arrived at the same outcome."

Mr. Cataliades smiled back. "Yes. Just so."

Eric spent the majority of those first days with the team that specialized in public relations. As the grieving spouse Eric was expected to present a certain image. His wardrobe was reviewed and selections made for public appearances. He was drilled in scripted phrases that would be used to convey to anyone who asked the very picture of a sad but determined husband just 'trying to carry on her memory.'

Because Freyda had visibility within the human world it was necessary to arrange a formal memorial service. Announcements needed to be posted and offices closed. Flowers were ordered and pictures of Freyda were arranged complete with black draping.

Formal statements for all the media sources were prepared. Some were tailored to the general public. Some were tailored to the business concerns of the crown. In all cases a photo of Eric Northman was included, identifying him as succeeding his wife in all her ventures. Within days the team was orchestrating public appearances. There were television interviews and meetings with both existing management teams and representatives of key business partners.

All in all, it was taking all of Eric's acting skills.

Parallel campaigns were underway involving the unravelling of the complexities of the estate. There were injunctions to file and bank accounts to access. There were quick claims to be drafted and affidavits to be processed. Freyda had not bothered to have Eric's name officially placed on all of her assets. Mr. Cataliades nagged the Viking that it would be better to have more competent legal counsel involved the next time he married a monarch. Eric had always thought well of the demon but he found himself wanting to rip the man's head off by the time that particular discussion was over.

Eric's first call had been to Karin. She told him she would have to wrap up a few things but should be able to reach him by the end of the following week. Eric knew that Karin would be required to formally pledge fealty to de Castro if she was to be at his side. Since Felipe would still be in the state Eric instructed her to come directly to Aluma Lake.

Pam had been his second call. His child had been so overcome to hear from him that the call had not been long. She had started preparations to travel to him immediately.

She was due to arrive momentarily and Eric found himself pacing in anticipation.

Pamela Ravenscroft stepped out of the black car and stood before the doors of the palace entrance. Like magic the doors opened and servants flowed forward. A kind gentleman bowed to her and gestured her forward. Others headed to the back of the vehicle to retrieve her luggage. Almost before she was up the front stairs Eric was standing before her.

"Master!" Pam cried and fell to her knee before him. Eric stooped to lift her chin and then took her hand and raised her into his embrace. It was in that moment that he re-opened the bond between them. Pam felt his emotions roll over her like a great wave in a warm ocean. His feelings of affection and longing eddied around her heart. She felt touched and touching as they gazed in each other's eyes.

"It is good to have you here, Pam." Eric said. "Do you wish to see your room? Or we could sit and talk first."

Pam looked up, her happiness shining on her face. "I'd like to catch up first."

Eric gestured toward a room that had chairs and a fireplace. As they entered the room Eric pulled the doors closed behind them. "This room is somewhat secure," he told her. " Felipe and his retinue are in Oklahoma City tonight meeting with Zeus Clan. Zeus was not happy about losing a state they felt was in the middle of their territory. Felipe informed me they had no need for me to attend." Eric waited until he was sure he had Pam's attention. "I am now his regent here in Oklahoma."

Pam looked up at him. Eric felt her surprise and shock through the bond. "Felipe's regent? How?"

Eric sat and turned his gaze to the fire. "Felipe told me he was taking over the kingdom. He told me that Freyda's treachery in breaking the terms of the contract affronted his honor. "

Pam walked to stand in front of Eric. "Master, did the king tell you the nature of the affront. What Freyda did?"

Eric nodded. Pam fell to her knees before Eric. She bowed her head. Eric could feel guilt and regret from her.

"I am so sorry, Eric. I should have checked in on her. I had no idea. I never liked the shifter. I wish I'd killed him when I had the chance. When I think of how she looked; how close she was to death..."

His reaction took Eric by surprise. He felt a great pain lance through this chest. He lifted his hand and placed it over where his heart would be beating. He wanted to tell Pam that she was worrying over nothing; that Sookie Stackhouse meant nothing to him, but he found he couldn't speak the words.

Pam continued; "Karin had told me she thought something was off about it; the marriage and how he treated her, but I wouldn't listen. She just wasn't right after you left. She looked so lost. I stayed away because I thought it would help her adjust. I can only beg your forgiveness." And Pam bowed her head until her forehead touched the floor. "Eric, Sookie is alive and in good hands now. You will be together…"

And then Eric Northman found his voice. "Stop! I command you." Pam sat up. Red tears were running down her cheeks. Eric thought of all the times he had offered Sookie his protection and all the times she had thrown it back at him. He told himself that his reaction was not right; not vampire. Sookie Stackhouse made him weak and he was done; finally done with her. Appius had been right. There was no place for this uncertainty in any vampire's life. "Pam, I will not command you not to speak of her. I will only ask that you not mention her name to me." He laid his hand on her cheek. '_Yes_," he thought. '_If I have affection or love left from my human time it is for the children I have made. They are my legacy and are ever loyal_.'

Eric stood up and took his child's hand. He raised her to stand before him. He wiped the tear tracks from her face with his thumb, licked the blood from his hand and smiled. "Pam, I have watched everything you have done. I heard about Fangtasia and read about your success. I am proud of you." And he let his pride and his affection pour through the bond.

"I say this to help you. My maker tried to teach me that to be vampire means to not give way to emotions. Emotions are for humans with their brief lifespans. For us; for vampire, life stretches like a great river before us. We have no horizon, only more journeys. We need to learn discipline if we are to survive. This time apart from you has been a hard lesson for me. I was trapped in a prison, unable to move forward. It gave me much time to consider how the walls were built and how I handed my jailor the key." Eric smiled at Pam. "Sookie Stackhouse was a mistake. How could I think that loving a human would end in any good way? I suppose I was so caught up in the hunt that I lost sight of the impossible nature of it. I have paid the price and I assure you I have learned the lesson. It is a lesson I intend to pass on to both you and your sister. I do not want you to experience the pain I have felt. I would not wish this for my progeny."

Pam knew in her heart that what Eric was telling her was not right. She thought of Miriam and the brief happy days they had spent together. She knew in every fiber of her being that that time when she had known such bliss in her lover's arms was worth the ache she felt now. She couldn't imagine living a life that was not punctuated by the promise of finding that kind of love again.

Pam bowed her head to let Eric know she understood. After a moment she raised her eyes and asked, "Would you tell me how this change came about?"

Eric gestured Pam to the chair opposite him. "Felipe sent a message through Angie in the week before he arrived. It was a risk. We flew out and away from the palace." He smiled wryly. "I thought there was a good bet that she had come to end me and I gave her my back."

Pam looked at Eric. She couldn't think of what he must have been experiencing to have been willing to allow Angie to stake him without a fight.

"You meant to offer no resistance?"

Eric shrugged. "To fight; even to win would mean that I would be hunted. And there was you to consider. You are under Felipe's dominion. He would have surely killed you as a lesson to others had I resisted. I considered what was to be gained by ending me. I was sidelined here and posed no threat to him. As a former subject and one that had willingly supported his agenda, I had to consider the more probable possibility that Felipe wanted something from me. To offer Angie my back was an obvious display of trust and loyalty."

Pam shook her head. She appreciated her maker's pragmatic view, but she couldn't help but think of what losing Eric would mean to her. "Eric, if you had gambled wrong I don't think I would have been able to continue."

Eric smiled. "Pam," his voice was warm. "You are among my greatest achievements. The chances of my being wrong were slim."

Pam looked at Eric directly. "Eric, you are ever my Master. I am yours in all things." They were rarely so formal with each other, so this phrase had been developed between them when they needed to say things that required secrecy.

"And I am honored to have that place." In other words, he understood. Eric stood and led Pam to the throne room and then out the doors. He lifted her and flew them to the same hill he had used with Angie.

As they flew, Pam grumbled, "I can't believe I can't do this yet. It's really unfair" Eric chuckled.

"When you are older, you will begin to manifest your gifts." They landed and Eric turned to her. "What else do you wish to say?"

"Eric, do you really trust Felipe? I know he hasn't been a problem recently, but he hasn't been particularly helpful either. Do you think this is all a ploy to lead you into a trap?"

Eric turned to look back across the fields. "I don't think that the regency was for my benefit. When he announced me as regent Horst was surprised. He may have thought that the position would be his."

Pam smiled. "He's worse than Victor Madden. At least Victor made some effort to appear civilized. Horst rips first and then throws the spectators the sponge mop."

Eric nodded. "He made quick work of Freyda though. Not a lot of blood or drama."

"I thought you would want to end her," Pam said quietly.

"Because she made my life miserable? To have done that would have given Felipe too much leverage. He could have thrown me to the press and called me out as her murderer. Why would I bother? She was nothing; less than nothing to me"

"Because she paid the shifter to torture Sookie." As soon as she said the name, Pam looked down. "I'm sorry. I won't stumble again."

Eric felt another unexpected pull at his heart. "He tortured her?" He felt his emotions boiling in his chest. He clenched his hands into fists. "Like Neave and Lochlan?"

Pam couldn't meet his eyes. "Worse in some ways. Neave and Lochlan didn't break her spirit. The shifter did. It was terrible. She didn't know me for a long time. She would just scream and scream."

Eric remembered that terrible time after she had been rescued from the fairies. She had suffered night terrors. She had been unable to achieve completion in his arms. She had jumped at her own shadow. But she had still been herself. "I think Felipe has Merlotte. I think he lives still." Eric's jaw was tensed. Pam could feel the rage running through him.

"Will you ask for him?" Pam looked at Eric. He seemed lost in thought.

After a time he turned to her. His eyes were clear and she could feel his emotions had settled. "No. I have no right to him. She is no longer mine. To ask would be to court trouble." Eric waited a moment, then continued. "There is more. Sookie had been placed in Sanctum. Felipe told me. He believes that she found her way to Mississippi and is under the protection of Edgington and Crowe. Pam?" He paused. "Did you have anything to do with that?"

Pam shook her head. Eric visibly relaxed. Then he told her "De Castro has tasked me to bring her back to Bon Temps. ."

Pam looked into her master's eyes. "Will you?"

Eric didn't hesitate. "Yes."

Pam considered this. "There is something else you should know." Eric raised his eyebrow and waited. "Before I came here I saw Minnesota. She told me she had seen Sookie in Jackson. She was a guest of the kings. Eric? It was Thalia and Bubba that took her. They are in Edgington and Crowe's retinue now." She gave Eric a minute to absorb that information. Eric and Thalia had been on good terms.

Eric looked at her. "There's more." It wasn't a question. Pam nodded.

"Maude wanted me to pass along a request from Amun. They want you to become King. They want you to take Louisiana. "

Pam could tell that this was indeed news to Eric. "Is there any chance that Felipe knew of this?" he asked.

"I have heard nothing to suggest it."

"It could explain why Felipe decided to tie me to him. Why he offered me the regency and not Horst."

"Eric. If you were king it would end a great deal of uncertainty."

"Yes," Eric agreed. "And it would end the ability of any monarch to use us as leverage against the behavior of the other. As it stands, Felipe is in perfect position to keep us both in line. But it makes no difference. I have pledged my fealty to Felipe. I have sworn to serve." Eric wondered, not for the first time when his luck had abandoned him.

**Jackson:**

Bartlett picked up the phone. He recognized the number as a Connecticut area code. "Lydia? How are you braving your New England winter?"

Lydia smiled to hear the monarch's voice. Where Russell was the more social of the couple it was Bartlett who was better at listening between the lines of any conversation.

"Cold but beautiful. I can arrange to send you some snow in a baggie."

Bartlett smiled. "I can turn on any tap down here and get the same effect. So how fares the beautiful Miss Stackhouse?"

"Better." Lydia thought through what information she could share without violating her guest's confidentiality. "You should know that when she returns to you she will need a trainer."

"Oh?" Bartlett asked. "Martial arts? Basketry? What kind of training?"

"The fairy kind." Lydia waited.

"Fairy? As in fae? I had heard a rumor…"

Lydia made a decision about sharing Sookie's lineage. She knew that the kings had pledged both support and protection. She trusted them and trusted that they would not undo all her hard work. "More than a rumor. To the best of my knowledge Sookie Stackhouse is the only living descendent of Niall Brigant."

"The Niall Brigant? Sky King? That Niall Brigant?"

Lydia couldn't help chuckling. "Yes. The Prince. She is his great-great-grand-daughter. There may be another great or two in there, but you get the picture. He is fond of her and acknowledged her before he closed the portals."

"Well. That's something to consider." Bartlett's mind started racing. "Will this create a problem? Do you think we can expect trouble from that quarter?"

"No." Lydia told him. "From what I am hearing the portals in Ireland remain open. Although I have not heard any reports of Niall himself. It is possible that I can make arrangements if you would be willing to allow a member of the fae to visit your areas."

"Well, you know that contact between vampires and fae is not without challenges. Just being in proximity makes my fangs itch. Aside from the obvious there is the deep mistrust that exists between our races." Bartlett considered. "Look if you feel this is essential I'm sure we can make some arrangement. It's not that I don't want fae here based on some kind of principal. We do have a large vampire contingent. If something should happen to give offense there could be repercussions. It's a risk."

"I would not ask if I didn't think it will be important to her recovery. Before we left she was demonstrating some powers that I think were fae. I think she's capable of shape shifting and teleporting objects. There may be more. I can get her emotional state stable, but with the dampening effect of Sanctum I can't lift it enough for me to get a good read on her capabilities. We know she's telepathic and she told me that's tied to demon intervention before she was born. A gift. But the other things she's doing are purely her."

"All right," said Bartlett. I'll let Russell know and we'll do some brain storming. Any idea on when she might be coming home?"

"If it all continues to go well I could see her returning within two months. She has come out of the general depression and is now in the general anger phase." Lydia smiled. "I will say that she had quite the mouth on her when she gets riled up. Which during this part of her process is pretty often. I know I've said this before and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, she is surprisingly resilient. The way she is coming to terms with what has happened to her is amazing. I have known men and women who were fighters all their lives and who went through fewer traumas but were not able to find their way back as well. I don't know if it is her fae heritage, her southern backbone or just her stubborn unwillingness to give up. All I can say is that she is doing very well." Lydia paused. "Well, except for the subject of Eric Northman."

"Northman? Why do you say that? Weren't they bonded or pledged or something?"

"Yes," Lydia said. "That's the problem. There is clearly something that happened; something that was a catalyst to her marrying that shifter. But she can't bring herself to talk about it. I have a call into Pam Ravenscroft. It sounded like Sookie and Pam were close. I'm hoping Pam will have more background to help me navigate through this."

Bartlett tapped his finger against the table. "I wonder if Thalia knows anything," he said, half to himself. "I'll see if Thalia has anything to share and I'll let you know."

Lydia and the king agreed to talk again the following week.

Bartlett walked into the living area following his call to find Russell reading. Russell closed the book with his finger in the page. "What's the news? Should we fix up the guest house soon?"

Bartlett sat in the leather chair opposite. "Soon," he said. "Did you know our famous telepath is also fae royalty?"

"Sookie Stackhouse?"

Bartlett nodded. "Sky fae. Niall Brigant's grand-daughter. Needs a fairy skills trainer."

"Hmm," and Russell smiled. "Sounds like we got a bonus."


	16. Chapter 16 - Plotting the Passage

Chapter 16 – Plotting the Passage

**NOTE**: Thank you everyone who has been reading. I much appreciate your enthusiastic reception. I am having a great time working through this story. Happy to know I'm sharing with so many others! Thank you to Breathesgirl. You are the best!

**Sanctum:**

Lydia had been true to her word. Days at Sanctum were filled with things that had to be done and before Sookie knew it two months had passed. She could still find herself so exhausted she couldn't get out of bed. Sookie realized it was another one of those mornings when she found herself blanket-less and being shoved.

Sookie groaned and moaned as she pulled on her clothes. She couldn't remember a time when her muscles had felt so sore. It wasn't the bruising sore that she had felt some mornings during The Time. The Time was how she still thought of her marriage to Sam Merlotte. Instead, the sore she felt was the happy sore of exercise and stretching and a body well used and used well.

It was surprising the toll The Time had taken on her body. She had spent less time walking or doing all the other things she had done before The Time. She had given up gardening and cooking. Even cleaning her house had become physically taxing. Her impression of that time was that she had been frozen in place, unable to move beyond or away. When it had ended; when she'd been rescued, there had been the long weeks where she laid first in one bed and then another. Sookie still couldn't remember much about those times. What she could remember came in flashes at unexpected times. At first she panicked when one of these would happen. But now she found that these episodes gave her a sense of calm because it was restoring a small piece of herself that she had lost.

As she pulled socks from a drawer she found herself experiencing a flash. She remembered Dr. Ludwig licking her hand. She snorted. Lydia raised her eyebrows. Sookie glanced up from the sock she was struggling with. "You know Dr. Ludwig?"

"Amy?" Lydia asked. "Sure. She's kind of famous in our world."

"You ever see her lick someone's hand? The palm I mean. Whole tongue."

Lydia smiled and nodded her head as she rolled her eyes a little. "Yup I've seen it. It is a little off-putting."

"What's that about, do you think?"

Lydia shook her head. "I don't know. I never asked her. Maybe she just likes the taste of people."

Sookie pulled up the sock and sat up to look at Lydia as she gave a little shudder. "Eww. Well, that's an image I just didn't need. Gee – what are you trying to do? Give me more nightmares?" And Sookie laughed. It wasn't a full-out laugh but it was more than a giggle.

Lydia smiled. Watching laughter return to her guest was gratifying. "Well, on that note you can stop stalling and get moving. You've missed your morning stretch and it's already talking time. So chop-chop Ms. Stackhouse!"

Sookie slipped into the felt clogs that she had been given and both women walked down the hall that led to the main house.

Sookie was in counseling. It was individual counseling because Lydia felt the telepath was too fragile to be sharing with strangers.

Most of the work to date had been talking about the physical damage Sookie had sustained; both during The Time and before. Lydia would ask Sookie to tell about what happened in the form of a story. At first Lydia had encouraged Sookie to use third person, telling the experience as if it were people other than herself involved. Sookie found that by doing that little thing she was able to start talking more. As time went by talking about her experiences became easier and she slipped into telling stories from a first person perspective. It was as if the telling of each bad thing worked to remove the poison that had entwined itself with her.

Today Sookie told the story of the Rattrays and the day they beat her. Sookie told how surprised she had been by the attack. She created the details by telling what she had smelled and heard in the night. She told how she felt things in her own body snap and give way. She told how at a certain point she felt like she was outside herself; not that the pain had stopped but that she had seemed apart from it. Sookie talked about hearing the growl. She told how she hadn't realized the growl was her rescue.

Then Sookie remembered something she had forgotten.

Sookie remembered the dog that licked her face as she lay on the ground. She knew that the dog had been Sam Merlotte. She stopped in her story, struck by the very real possibility that Sam had watched her being beaten that night and had done nothing. Sookie had already concluded that Bill's being too late to prevent what had happened had been deliberate – either on Bill's part or because of someone else. Sookie asked Lydia if she thought it possible that Sam Merlotte had been in on all the bad things that had happened to her from the beginning. When Lydia told her she would have no way of knowing Sookie continued.

She told Lydia that she believed the point of the whole incident had been about getting Bill's blood into her. Sookie found herself talking about Bill Compton. Lydia asked her if she knew at the time what taking Bill's blood would mean. Sookie told her "No, I didn't. Bill told me it would heal me. Even later he never really came clean about it. He didn't tell me anything about how it was like a radar so he could track me or the libido thing or any of it until after I'd had Eric's blood. But boy howdy! He had a lot to say about vampire blood after that!"

She talked about her intimate relationship with Bill Compton. She described how he treated her. Sookie told Lydia how she had made excuses for him, thinking he didn't know how to treat humans because he was so old and a vampire. She told about the night she lost her virginity. She told how Bill would try to tell her how to dress. She told how he would insist that she undress when she was injured so he could inspect her. She told Lydia about how he raped her in the trunk of a car. And she told how she found out that Bill had been sent by the Queen to procure her and how everything she thought was love had been based on a lie.

When she was done, Lydia had sighed and said, "I can see how it would have been hard to trust again after that. But surely you knew how relationships were supposed to be between men and women. You had access to everyone's thoughts. You could see which relationships worked and which didn't. You couldn't have been thinking that what you just described was a good relationship. Why do you think you stayed with him? "

Sookie looked at Lydia, her eyes clear. "I've thought about that a lot. Why I stayed. I think part of it was because he was the first man I had ever known, you know, sexually. I had grown up believing that you found your mate and you stayed faithful to them for life. That's how my Gran raised me. 'Course then I found out she wasn't any too faithful. But by then Bill was out of the picture." Sookie looked out the window at the budding tree limbs. "And Bill was different. After all those years of never fitting in, by being with him I was suddenly special. 'Crazy Sookie' had a boyfriend who was scary and exciting and someone everyone was curious to know. And to top it off I couldn't hear him – you know, with my telepathy. I didn't know what he was thinking so I just assumed that what he was saying was what he meant."

"So his being supernatural and silent made him attractive? What about the blood?" Lydia asked. "Is it possible that it could have played a part?"

"Well, yeah. Sure." Sookie agreed. She looked down at her hands in her lap. When she looked up there was fire in her eyes. "I think back on all that and I get really mad. I'll never really know what part was me and what part was me being pushed. I'll never know if the reason I got raped was because I made bad choices or because I was being controlled by blood. I was so excited to know there were vampires and then I got to meet one. But it turned out to be one nasty surprise after another."

Lydia waited until Sookie looked away again. "Sookie? When you think of yourself do you see yourself as human or supernatural?"

Sookie looked up at Lydia. "Well, I'm human of course."

"Are you?" Lydia asked. "Are you really?" She waited. When Sookie looked like she was going to speak Lydia held up her hand and continued. "Do humans have telepathy?"

Sookie looked defiant. "Well this one does."

Lydia maintained a neutral look on her face. "How did you become telepathic?"

Sookie bit her lip. "Well I guess it's because my Gran drank demon blood."

Lydia nodded. "So you were born with a supernatural gift." Lydia waited for Sookie to nod. "And what about the fairy part of you, the essential spark? Were you born with that too?"

Sookie was startled. She shifted in the chair and appeared suddenly nervous. Lydia waited for Sookie to settle. "Why would you think that any part of how you were born would be bad?" Lydia shook her head. "You were born the way you are with gifts. Wonderful gifts. It's a shame you weren't shown from an early age how to appreciate and use them. Sookie, you are so very lucky."

Sookie snorted. "I grew up wishing that I'd never had telepathy."

"And now?" Lydia asked.

"I don't know," Sookie said. "I try to keep my shields up most days. Spying on people just seems so rude."

Lydia looked at her. "Really? And how does the not spying thing work for you? Is your life easier? Would things have been different, for example, if you'd decided to be rude and spied on Sam Merlotte?"

Sookie bit her lip and looked away. Lydia continued. "Have you ever considered how your gifts could make your life and the lives of those around you better? You could use them to support yourself. All you need to do is stop feeling like you are a bad person, or defective. You are neither. You are supernatural. You have to learn to accept that."

Sookie sat quietly. This was not the first time she had thought along these lines. She remembered how the FBI had looked at her as something other. But hearing someone declare her as supernatural was unsettling.

Lydia smiled at her and waited until the telepath smiled back. "Sookie, you grew up believing that the world was one way. When you found out it included people that were different like you were different, it made you happy. But then you decided to keep those different people at arm's length. You spent all your time and energy trying to fit back into the life you had never been a part of. If I didn't know better I'd think that you did that because you didn't think you deserved any better. Could it be that some part of you believes that you need to be punished; that you don't deserve happiness?"

Sookie felt tears come to her eyes. "All I ever wanted was to be normal. You know – a house and a husband and kids. Just to be accepted and… I don't know… normal. But I know now that was never in the cards for me. I can't have normal. "

Lydia looked at her again. She took her hand. "Sookie, think about your life before Sam. Didn't you have a home?"

Sookie nodded.

"Weren't you being invited to baby showers and weddings and parties?"

Sookie thought about that, and then nodded again.

"Weren't you married to a successful businessman?"

Sookie felt a tear slip from her eye. "Eric," Sookie said.

Lydia continued. "I know that there were no children, but that's not so different from lots of couples. So explain to me again why that life didn't meet your definition of normal."

Sookie sobbed. "I was overrun with all this supernatural stuff. There was Alcide Herveaux, the Pack Master. He wanted me to be his shaman. He drugged me. I mean I agreed but I had no idea what would happen. I had a Grandfather who showed up and was some kind of fairy prince. He was telling me he loved me but he had danger following him all around. Everything I believed about my Gran was wrong. Turns out that every time my Grandpa Mitchell was smiling, it was really Fintan in disguise. I had a fairy cousin who moved into my house and turns out he had it in for me. Every time I turned around I was in danger. And I had no one to turn to."

"No one?" Lydia asked. And she waited. "It seems to me you did have someone. You had a husband who understood the rules of our world. He offered you his protection. Sookie, what would have changed if you had accepted what Eric Northman offered?" Sookie's mouth opened but no words came out.

Lydia nodded. "Sometimes our being happy is because we decide to be happy. You seem to think you had no choices; that what you are was forced on you and that it was a bad thing. Your brother Jason is coming to see you. He blames himself for not protecting you."

"Jason?" Sookie found herself suddenly happy. "When will he be here? Is he bringing Michele?"

"No," said Lydia. "He is coming by himself." Lydia closed her notebook. "It occurs to me that for your brother he truly had no choice in becoming what he is. I wonder how he feels about that."

Sookie found herself wondering too.

**Lake Aluma:**

The memorial services had concluded and the outward signs of funeral and mourning had been cleared away by the time Eric Northman's first child arrived from Europe.

Eric looked on with pride as Karin, his first child pledged fealty to Felipe de Castro. The king and his retinue would be leaving this same evening. Karin's timing was perfect. She was early enough to make the obligatory gesture but late enough to not have to visit with the Nevada vampires.

Sandy Seacrest arrival in the previous month had kick started the forensic analysis of the kingdom's financial state. Eric knew he would be spending long hours with Sandy in the weeks to come. But for now he would devote time to his progeny.

Events had played well for him so far. The story of Freyda's demise had been accepted by most. The police had confirmed their ruling as accidental death and the investigation was officially closed. Publically, Felipe and Angie had played the part of the supportive best friends. Within the supernatural community, Horst had played the part of enforcer. For the most part there had been little friction or unrest among any of the factions. The general consensus had been one of relief.

Felipe had been surprised at the number, or rather lack, of vampires in Oklahoma. Eric explained and Sandy had confirmed that the climate had not been hospitable to those seeking opportunities. Eric's plan was to change that.

Sandy's review had revealed that Freyda had invested heavily in real estate. The economic outlook in the state was not bad; it was on par with the rest of the country. As a result the returns on investment were steady but ran slim profit margins. Freyda had also invested in smaller businesses; restaurants, retail. These decisions appeared to have been chiefly motivated by a desire to be tied to people in the community she thought might prove influential. She had some minor investment in natural gas operations.

Eric and Sandy concurred that the smart investment would be to get both feet into gas recovery and they started the onerous task of liquidating assets to create capital for investment.

There was also the problem of service firms that had latched their financial fingers onto the kingdom. Freyda had an unfortunate tendency to equate more accountants and more attorneys with greater success. Expenses had been considerable. Sandy suggested that they pare their representation to one firm for each discipline.

Eric approached Mr. Cataliades. He had been surprised when the demon lawyer had declined the opportunity to represent Oklahoma. "I have a personal tie that could present a conflict of interest," he told Eric. Then the demon had formally bowed and declined to explain further.

As the qualification and selection process ground on, Sandy asked Eric if he thought that a telepath could be found to help in screening final choices. Eric had placed a call to Stan to ask about Barry Horowitz.

Stan and Eric had a long-standing relationship. Eric had been happy to hear the news that reports of Stan's demise had been premature. Eric was also aware that Barry the telepath had run afoul of the king. Barry had been indiscrete with information on the king's resting place with a former lover. His slip had led to the assassination attempt that caused Stan to go into hiding. That kind of mistake was often fatal. Stan had decided not to end the telepath. Barry also had ties to the demon lawyer, Mr. Cataliades. Stan knew it never paid to make enemies of the Dae. But Stan did keep Barry on a short leash and had assigned him a handler.

When Eric asked for the loan of the telepath Stan's first response was, "What about Sookie Stackhouse?"

Eric had quickly answered, "No. She is not acceptable to me." Stan had agreed to contract Barry's services for a period of one week. It was understood that accommodations would be provided for both Barry and his handler.

Sandy also mentioned that if Eric was serious about starting or buying into natural gas drilling operations then supply sources should be reviewed. The primary expense in the investment Freyda had made was silica sand. She was purchasing sand imported from China. Sandy suggested that Eric approach Maude of Minnesota. Her operations controlled the largest silica mine in the United States. She might be willing to give him a better deal.

Eric agreed and a meeting in Minnesota was to be arranged after the Clan Summits had concluded.

It had taken some time but it was now usual for the Summits of the four clans to all happen within the same month. They usually staggered each other by a matter of days. This allowed members of competing clans to attend each other's gatherings. Sometimes these appearances were to negotiate alliances through marriage but more often they were to negotiate alliances through trade. As a new member of Narayana Clan Eric would be expected to appear in Los Angeles for this year's Summit. Sandy had suggested that they petition Felipe de Castro to also attend Zeus and Amun Summits. Both Clans were involved in gas extraction and had territories that bordered Oklahoma. Deals would need to be struck to use pipeline and other shared resources. Felipe had agreed.

Within days of Sandy's arrival, she had encouraged Eric to become the public face of Oklahoma. "Your name means something here," she said. "You have a reputation for being a sharp but fair trader. Take advantage of it." Eric allowed the public relations team to book him as a guest speaker on a financial markets television show. He talked about the future of gas exploration in Oklahoma. The interview went viral and Eric found himself inundated with requests for more interviews. It seemed that vampire and success were hot commodities in America and Eric's face was starting to show up on television, newsprint and magazines.

Karin's arrival allowed her to be cast in the role of Eric's personal assistant. The public relations team suggested that Karin be introduced as his child which would be deliberately translated as daughter for human sensibilities. As both blood relative and personal assistant she would be expected to be at his side for all his social obligations. What human society didn't need to know, but the supernatural world did, was that Karin was also deadly. She deserved her fame as a brutal and efficient killer. Eric would have no need to watch his back while his progeny stood beside him.

Karin had been so happy to hear from Eric. Pam had teased her in the past that her loyalty to their maker was obsessive. Karin disagreed. Karin knew that she owed Eric Northman everything.

Eric had saved her from final death. When he had found her she had been beaten bloody and left on the side of the road to die. It was a time when finding the dead or dying victims of hedgerow thieves was not uncommon. What had caught Eric's attention had been the two men she had killed in her struggle using nothing more than the tree limbs and rocks that were around her. Eric admired fire in any creature. He had only recently separated from Appius and had found that he missed companionship. Even through the injuries he could see that Karin was beautiful. So he made his decision to become a maker. Knowing that her death was imminent he had opened his wrist and massaged her throat to swallow. Then he had taken her to ground.

Karin had embraced her vampire existence. She had awoken with a powerful combination of hunger and rage. During her brief time as a human she had known the injustice and oppression that was a woman's lot. She had never accepted her place as being less than men. Her attitude had cost her. Eric found out later that she had been on the road to escape those from her own village, people who had known her all her life and who had accused her of being a witch. Had she stayed she would have been burned alive.

As maker and child Karin and Eric had a short period of time when they were also sexual partners. Karin had been a virgin when he found her. Although that time as bed fellows had been fiery Karin quickly realized that she preferred to channel her energies to fighting and hunting. Eric felt no need to compel her and they became comfortable companions often traveling as brother and sister.

Karin rejoiced in her abilities. It was now within her power to right every wrong that she felt had been done her or others like her. Eric's support and acceptance of her as an equal had secured her affection and loyalty. It was a devotion that transcended the demands of the maker's bond. Eric had recognized her extreme dependency on him but failed to address it. Eric believed it was his own lack of discipline with her that was at the root of her separation issues. When he had finally insisted she leave for her period of independence Karin had become despondent. Eric had had to return to her several times. Eventually they were able to go separate ways.

Karin roamed the world. She found a constant demand for her fighting skills. No one suspected a dainty and demure woman to be a trained killer. It had made for an interesting and lucrative career. Karin never forgot that this wonderful life and her sense of purpose were entirely due to Eric Northman.

During these past few years Karin had found herself troubled by thoughts of Sookie Stackhouse. She knew that Eric had loved this woman and had been prepared to bring her to his side without making her vampire. Karin knew that this made others of their kind view him as weak. Karin also knew that in the end this woman had hurt her maker. This had led to her decision to honor the requirements of Eric's wish; that she guard Sookie for a year after he left for Oklahoma, but she would not honor the spirit. She had spent her year on the borders of the property. As the shifter had become a more regular guest and then moved into Hummingbird Lane this arrangement suited her more and more.

In spite of her reservations, she had done her best to warn Sookie about marrying the shifter. Karin had known with an instinct born of years of watching male predators that things were not as they appeared. While she had no evidence that Merlotte was aggressive or a victimizer, her instincts warned her it was just a matter of time. But the shifter was always careful about what he said and did when Karin was around.

Sookie argued for Sam. They were married and Karin was not invited. The contract expired and Karin left. Karin had heard through the supe grapevine that once she was gone the shifter had dropped his mask. Karin wondered if she should have tried harder to keep Sookie from harm.

These thoughts played through her head as she stood before her maker. As soon as the Nevada king and his retinue left, Karin and Eric settled into chairs in a comfortable room to catch up on news of each other and mutual acquaintances. Karin was sorry she missed Pam and promised she would make an effort to contact her sister.

Then Karin brought up the telepath. "Now that you are free, will you contact Sookie?" Eric had opened the bond between them and Karin could feel the turmoil boiling through from her maker.

"Sookie is no longer mine. I do not wish to hear of her again. It is the way things were meant to be." The words reminded Karin of the conversation she had with Sookie so long ago in the days before the telepath's marriage to Sam Merlotte. Karin could feel Eric's unsettled feelings through the bond. It felt like the hurt of a child. Although she thought it was a wrong course, she bowed her head. She would never question Eric. If her maker wished the Stackhouse woman confined to history, she would make it her duty to support that decision.

Karin found that decision challenged within 24 hours of her arrival.

Eric asked Karin to clean out the former Queen's chambers. He told her he wanted them stripped and any reminder of her; furnishings, rugs, wall color removed. Karin could feel the anger and disgust that formed Eric's feelings when he spoke of Freyda. It was clear that he wanted her and every memory of her expunged. Karin had bowed in agreement and assembled a crew to assist in the effort.

Karin had the locks that had been put in place following the coup struck off to doors. She had taken time to examine each item before it was removed from the premises and sent to charities or consignment. Some pieces appeared to have significant value. Karin arranged for those to be sent to appraisers as a precursor to being sold at auction.

Karin personally took charge of the jewelry, papers, journals and the computer. She spent several days reading through any and all written material. What she found was troubling. There was a clear connection between Freyda and Sam Merlotte. Especially in the months immediately preceding and the year following the Oklahoma Queen's marriage to Eric Freyda had documented a steady stream of money and tasks assigned between her and the shifter. It was the journals that led Karin to the movies on Freyda's laptop. The brutality of the material was such that it took Karin minutes to register what she was seeing. There was a long list of clips representing a chronicle of the abuse Sam had inflicted on Sookie Stackhouse over a period of years. Karin found herself shaking in rage, her fists clenched. Her first impulse had been to stop the first clip she saw and to delete the file.

Then she thought of the woman she knew and the place that woman had held in her maker's heart. Karin was certain that even if Eric never saw her again he would also never be truly free of the hold that Sookie had over him. Karin centered herself and then made herself watch each video one after the other. She committed each act; each moment to memory. She felt the rage rise within her. She knew that Eric could sense it and would ask her what had caused her to feel such anger. She would find an excuse to give him.

To reveal what she had found to Eric would be to cause him pain and perhaps add confusion about the decisions that lay ahead of him. He would want revenge. This would distract him and could prove dangerous. Karin would never do anything that could place him in harm's way.

Karin's lip curled as she deleted the files from the computer and ran a cleaning utility to remove any trace. She was vampire. She would never forget. Sam Merlotte would pay and Eric Northman would never be implicated.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Sanctum**

'Hey little sis!" Jason Stackhouse wrapped his long arms around his sister. As he hugged her he registered that her frame was thinner. It pulled at his heart that to think about how she had looked when he'd seen her in the super hospital and he had to fight to keep the smile on his face. But he could also see that she was looking better. Her face had a pink glow and her eyes were bright. "Looking good!"

Sookie hugged right back. She admitted to herself that she had been nervous about seeing Jason. She knew that she had no reason to be uncertain. Jason had always been a 'go with the flow' kind of guy. Sometimes that made her crazy, but recently she'd come to appreciate that it allowed him to change with the times.

Bottom line, Sookie felt guilty. Jason and Michele had invited her to come to their house or to come to special events so many times during her marriage to Sam, but Sookie had been too afraid to say yes. She knew that her brushing them off had hurt Michele. Sookie had seen Jason more often when he had come into the restaurant. Sookie had been able to catch up with him, but always under Sam's watchful eye. She wondered if Jason was a little angry with her for being such a bad sister.

But there was no hesitation in him. He pulled back and grinned at her. "You really do look good, sis." Then had had wrapped her in his arms again and laid his head against her own. They had just stood that way for a bit and Sookie had felt the warmth of him down to her bones.

When they separated Sookie realized she had tears in her eyes. She laughed a little and brushed the moisture away, waving her hand in apology. "I'm just so silly! Don't mind me!" Then she'd taken his hand and led him to a couple chairs that looked out over the beautiful landscape.

The siblings spent the hours talking about everyone they knew in Bon Temps. Jason filled her in on Hoyt and Tara and J.B. and her godchild. They talked about Halleigh and Andy and all the other Bellefleurs.

Jason told her that Merlotte's Restaurant was still closed up. The restaurant hadn't employed a lot of people but for those who had relied on it the loss was keenly felt. For most folks Merlotte's had become a place to gather and grab a quick lunch or dinner. It was an inexpensive place you could go with friends or a place you could take your whole family. People had come to depend on its being there. Jason asked Sookie if she knew what would happen with the place but Sookie didn't know what to tell him.

The conversation found a place where it just naturally seemed to slow. Sookie sensed that Jason had something he wanted to say. He had reached over and taken her hand. Then he had turned his attention to the windows. Then he looked and her and then looked out the windows again.

"Ok, Jason. You know you have something you want to tell me. You haven't changed a lick and I can tell that whatever it is has you all worried. But you should know that you never tell me anything I can't handle. Stop worrying and just let it fall."

Jason looked in her eyes then. He cleared his voice a little and then he smiled. "Sook, it's about the house; Gran's house."

Sookie closed her eyes. Somehow she knew before the words came from him that the family house was gone. She took a deep breath and pulled a smile on her face. "Jase, you better tell me. It's okay."

And then he did. He told her about the investigation. He told her about the search and then finding the dead were girl, April. He told her that everyone was pretty sure that Sam Merlotte was responsible for all of it. Sam had disappeared and the police were saying that they didn't have enough proof to press charges, but that Sam was considered a person of interest. Then Jason told her that the proof had been taken by Alcide and turned over to Pam Ravenscroft.

Sookie had nodded. "I understand that, Jase. There's a part of me that wants the police to know what happened and throw that dirty skunk in jail. But if they poke too far who knows what will turn up." Sookie thought about how the work she had done following the Rhodes explosion had led to her being haunted by the FBI. "_No good deed goes unpunished_," might not be what Gran believed, but it was what Sookie knew.

They sat together in silence then for a while. Sookie didn't know if she was sad or relieved. That house had been the place of so many good memories. She thought of times around the table with Gran and Jason. She thought of Amelia and Octavia laughing in the kitchen. She thought of Bubba sitting next to her on the porch swing singing quiet and low just for her. She thought of Dermot and how proud he had been of his carpentry skills when he lived in her attic. With a flush she remembered Eric and how they had made love on just about every surface in that house. But it had also been the home of so many bad memories.

Sookie could see Jason's worry. She finally took a deep breath and squeezed his hand. "Jason, I think it's okay. I'm not happy to lose all Gran's stuff. But somehow this makes me feel free too."

Jason squeezed her hand back and they sat there quietly a little while longer. Sookie remembered all the times she had been so happy for her brother. She remembered when they had been little and he'd held her hand and told her everything would be alright.

She looked at him and smiled. "Jason, can I ask you something?"

"Anything Sookie. You know that."

She looked at their hands. "Are you happy being a were panther?" Sookie remembered how sad she had felt when she heard that her brother had been bitten and might turn on the next full moon. She had been the one to take him to Calvin Norris, the head of the were panther pack on that first turning to make sure he would be okay. She and Jason had talked about it a little but Sookie had really not asked him about it since.

Jason looked as her and then a lopsided grin lit his face. "Sure I am!" he told her. "I know it probably sounds crazy to you but I think I was meant to be one." He shook his head and his eyes got dreamy. "I can't explain it. When I'm running in the night I feel amazing, like all of this life is in the palm of my hand. I'm more alive in those moments. I can see everything!"

Sookie smiled. It made her happy to see him so happy. "That's good to know, Jason."

"Gee Sook, I thought you knew that. It turned out to be a gift. I couldn't imagine being any other way now."

Sookie looked down toward the floor, and then back up at her brother's smiling face. "I got to ask you and I know this might sound crazy. Do you think of yourself as human?"

"Nah," he said. "Not really. Why?"

Sookie was startled by how much his answer surprised her. It had never occurred to her that Jason would feel this way. "Really? I guess I don't know how to feel about that, Jason."

Jason shook his head a little. "Geez Sook, you've never been human either; not really. You were different from the beginning. When we found out we had fairy blood that explained a lot to me. It was kind of a relief to know that it was just what I was and not something wrong. You know?"

Sookie smiled back. Somehow Jason's reaction was making it better. "So you're really happy then?"

"Yes I am. Right as rain," Jason told her. Then Jason looked in his sister's eyes. "Sis, can I ask you a question now?"

Sookie smiled and nodded. "Sure Jase. Anything."

Jason looked at her. "Why didn't you tell me about what was going on with Sam Merlotte?"

Sookie looked at her brother. She wasn't sure what she could tell him. She wasn't really sure she knew the answer herself. "Well, Jason," she started. "Part of it was I was so ashamed. Gran sure didn't raise me to be someone that would allow some man to hit her. But there I was. I could barely stand to look at myself in the mirror much less say something like that out loud to my own brother." Sookie stopped and looked in her brother's eyes. It was his concern and lack of pity that allowed her to continue. "And I guess I was in some kind of denial. I kept thinking that if I just tried harder or kept my head down it would stop and then wouldn't I feel foolish for crying wolf."

"Sook, I don't want you to take this the wrong way. But Sam Merlotte? I sure would have never guessed."

Sookie nodded. "I know what you mean. I couldn't really believe it either. Here was a guy everyone knew. Or I guess we thought we knew."

Jason pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Sis, you just got to know that I would always believe you. Wouldn't matter what you said. I learned my lesson with Uncle Bartlett. Don't you ever feel like you can't come to me. I'll do whatever I need to. You're family."

Sookie snuggled into him. She felt like all the things that had ever been wrong between them were fixed now. Jason turned his head and kissed the top of her head. Then he said, "Whatever happened with Eric Northman?" Sookie jumped a little and bit her lip. But Jason continued to hold her. "I mean I heard some stuff but I always wondered why you left him."

Sookie took a deep breath and looked toward the floor. She still wasn't sure she was ready to talk about any of this. But this was her brother. "Well I didn't leave him. He left me."

"Wow. Sookie, I'm sorry. I mean that's not how I heard it from Alcide and the others."

Sookie pulled back and looked in her brother's eyes. "How did they say it happened, Jason?"

Jason took a deep breath. "Well, they said that you kind of wanted him gone. They said that you married him according to their laws but then you denied it." Jason looked deep in her eyes so she could see that he didn't want to hurt her. "Alcide told me that it was common knowledge you refused to live with Eric. Said you made a point of parading men through your life so everyone would know that you didn't want him. Alcide said he even landed in your bed one night." Sookie drew a breath in shock as she remembered how Amelia had given Alcide the impression that Sookie would welcome that advance. She had been so angry she had thrown the werewolf out of her house and told him not to return. Jason continued, "So Alcide said when his vampire daddy sold him into a contract he just went."

Sookie set her lips in a straight line. "It really wasn't like that. There was a contract. It was some vampire arranged marriage. Eric felt like he had some kind of obligation so he divorced me. Not like it was that much of a hardship for him. She was beautiful and rich. Besides, since when did you ever like Eric Northman? I thought you hated him."

Jason snorted. "I never said I didn't like him, Sookie. Hell, I thought he was a good guy to know. He sure knew his way around a party but could be a real badass when he needed to be. He looked at you like you hung the moon. I always thought he was a better choice for you than Sam Merlotte."

Sookie couldn't believe what her brother was saying. "Jason, when did you change your mind?."

'Sook, I think you got it all wrong. I stayed cool because it looked to me like you didn't like him. You know, I heard him call you his wife once. You got all worked up and kind of put a beat down on him. I figured there was some story there, but you're my sister. I'll always back you." Jason shrugged. "I mean you never really looked like you were happy to see him. I figured if you really loved the guy you would have been living together and all. God knows you lived with everyone and their brother, but never him. I figured you had your reasons."

Sookie felt like Jason had held a big mirror up to her and she didn't like what she saw. She had treated Eric like he meant nothing to her. Sookie wondered at herself; at the crazy stubborn foolishness that had caused her to act the way she did. She wondered why it was that when you finally figured things out it always seemed to be too late.


	17. Chapter 17 - Navigating Channels

Chapter 17 – Navigating Channels

**NOTE: **I thank you for your patience and your encouragement. Thank you to Breathesgirl – you keep me honest and on course.

**Jackson:**

Russell looked up from his desk as Thalia stepped into his office and walked forward to stand before the King's desk. "Thank you for coming," the king said. He gestured toward a chair. The dark-haired vampire narrowed her eyes slightly. She then remained exactly where she was. Her whole expression was a challenge that dared him to question her. Russell couldn't help smiling. "How are you settling in?"

Thalia watched him with narrowed eyes. She had no change in expression. After a pause that bordered on rude she asked, "Is this a social visit?"

Russell had to bite back a chuckle. Thalia was every bit as surly as he'd heard. She had been giving his security chief fits. She practiced to her own routine. She insisted on her own schedule. She refused the quarters suggested and demanded a more inconvenient arrangement. She kept to herself and didn't mingle with any of the others. On the other hand she was tireless and pressed his guards during sparring. She had earned the grudging respect of her peers. You could see it in the slightly inclined heads whenever she walked down a hall or into a room.

"Not entirely," Russell responded.

Thalia nodded. And waited. And waited some more.

The king recognized a power play when he saw one, so he just sat back with his fingers steepled and watched her. Finally Thalia shifted and asked, "What do you wish of me?"

"I wish to understand the nature of the relationship between Eric Northman and Sookie Stackhouse."

Thalia's eyes widened for an instant. She quickly controlled her face but Russell saw it. She drawled, "You seem to have me mistaken for a common gossip. I don't know anything of any relationship. And if I did I would be unlikely to share."

"It is good to see such loyalty," said the king "Well let's start with the things anyone would notice. Were they bonded?" When Thalia looked like she wasn't going to answer Russell continued. "You were in the same bar with both of them. If they were bonded you would smell it as would any other vampire."

Thalia leveled her look at the king. She let her eyes bore into his. "They were bonded. Then they were not."

'_Interesting_," thought Russell. He changed gears. "We expect Sookie Stackhouse to return to Jackson soon. Would you be willing to watch over her? As a bodyguard?"

Thalia gave the impression of thinking it over then she nodded. The king said, "I understand you are fond of her."

"She's not bad for a breather."

Russell couldn't help smiling again. "What did she do to earn such praise?"

Thalia smiled back. "She engineered Victor Madden's death." Without waiting for a dismissal Thalia turned and left, leaving the king open-mouthed behind his desk.

**Sanctum:**

Lydia hung up the phone. The information from Mississippi was brief. Personally Lydia had never heard of a bond being broken. She wondered how it had been accomplished without killing one or both parties.

"_Yet another part of the mystery between these two_," Lydia thought.

As planned, Lydia called the number that had been provided by Pam Ravenscroft. The phone rang twice and then she heard a woman's voice.

"You must be Lydia. This is Pam. How is Sookie doing?" Lydia found herself admiring the calm, slightly accented voice.

"Sookie is doing well; better. Is this a good time to talk?" Pam confirmed that it was. "Thank you for taking time to chat with me. Are you planning to come here in the next week?" There was a pause before Pam answered.

"I had thought I would be visiting. Now it would appear I will not be coming." Another pause. Lydia had the impression that the vampire on the other end of the phone was angry but trying not to show it. "I will need to be leaving for the West Coast within the next day or so. My king has been following our newest venture and has decided we need to step up the opening."

"Oh," said Lydia. "Another Fangtasia club?" It was hard not to know about the success of the franchise.

"Yes. We are opening a venue in L.A. It was planned for three months from now, but Felipe wants it open in time for the upcoming Summit."

"That's wonderful," the healer told her. "Congratulations."

"Thank you. It is a lot of unplanned work. My partner Maxwell is already there. I don't expect I'll be returning before the Summit next month. So between that and training our friend Indira to take on our duties here, my king has made it clear that I have no time for extra travel."

"_Ah_," thought Lydia. "_There it is. This is Felipe's doing_." The healer continued. "Well, that's a shame. I was looking forward to meeting you. Sookie had been speaking of you with great fondness. She has felt her separation from you most keenly." Lydia waited. When Pam said nothing she continued. "I understand that Mr. Northman is planning to come here. I won't say that I'm not a little nervous about that visit. Sookie had been doing well and has started talking about Eric and herself. But it would help me to prepare her if I understood more about their relationship."

"Why don't you ask me what you want to know? I will answer it if I can." Lydia could hear some reticence in the vampire's voice. Then Pam continued, "Understand that my first loyalty is to Eric. I won't betray his trust."

"Of course," Lydia assured her. "Nor would I expect you to. But I would like to know some of the basics. For example there is a story that they were bonded but the bond was broken. It that true?"

"Yes," Pam told her. "Sookie has a friend who's a witch. She was able to break the bond between them."

Lydia shook her head. "She must be a powerful witch."

"She is. But she's no friend of the fang. She was Sookie's roommate. She may have blamed me for playing with her. She spent a lot of time encouraging Sookie to find someone else; to leave Eric."

"Did Sookie ask for it? Did she ask to have the bond broken?" Lydia asked.

"I don't know," Pam told her. "But she went along with it. Eric was frantic when he felt her gone. But he was even more frantic when he realized what she'd done. He knew that without the bond she was in terrible danger. He had to act quickly to make sure she had cover."

"The contract?"

"Yes," Pam confirmed. "He stopped fighting it. He hammered out the terms to include protection for Sookie. Felipe sensed something was wrong and he and Oklahoma doubled the usual 100 years. And Eric agreed."

Lydia thought about this. "Do you think he still feels that way about her?"

Pam thought about it. She thought about the time in Oklahoma. She thought about what Eric had said and what she had felt and what he hadn't said. "Yes. But I'm not sure he can let himself admit it. He told me that Felipe has charged him to bring her back here; back to Louisiana. He knows that with the contract voided there's nothing to stop someone from snatching her."

"Mr. Northman is scheduled to arrive here next week," Lydia told her. "Your king's office called to confirm the arrangements." The healer sighed. "Is this going to be a problem?"

Pam considered. To create problems in Sanctum was to court disaster. Aside from the wards that guarded the place there were curses that ensured that no one was able to approach with malice. If her maker was going with ill intent he could suffer great harm. "I don't know. But my gut tells me that he's in more danger from her than the other way around." When Lydia didn't speak Pam continued. "Eric may try to persuade her; tell her stories about home and how her friends are waiting for her. But he won't force her. It's not in him to force any woman."

Lydia decided to ask a question that she had considered. "There can be a thin line between love and hate. It can happen that those we love most can become those we wish to punish. Does he feel that she deserves punishment? Does he feel that she betrayed him or crossed him in some way?"

"Oh, she betrayed him," Pam stated. "She made him crazy with her inability to accept what was between them. But don't get me wrong. You had to see them together. When they were good they laughed and played and the whole world shone around them. But most times they'd fight." Pam smiled a little. "You probably wouldn't know what I'm talking about but for those two, fighting was foreplay. They'd piss each other off and do stupid things to needle the other one. Then they'd yell at each other or glare. Sookie would run off and do some hare-brained thing and get herself in all kinds of trouble. Then Eric would come to her rescue and they'd have one minute of happiness before they did something stupid and pissed each other off all over again."

"So," Lydia said, "They weren't good for each other?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Pam told her. "They are probably the only ones that are good for each other. Like two halves of a coin."

They spoke of other things but it was this part of the conversation that stayed with Lydia.

**SANCTUM:**

In the days following Jason Stackhouse's visit it became clear that Sookie had started to see herself in a different way. The siblings had many conversations over the days that Jason visited. They shared memories and made small talk. Jason had an easy way about him and soon he had everyone around him laughing, including his sister. They sat together in sunlight and spun stories about the south and their childhoods and what things might have been. When Jason left he hugged Sookie and made her promise to stay in touch.

"You deserve to be happy, Sook. But remember what Gran used to say about God helps those that help themselves."

Sookie had hugged him back. "If I ever do find my fortune again you better believe I won't ever let it go!"

Lydia stood alongside the telepath on the front step as they waved goodbye to Jason. Together they turned to walk back into the building. As Lydia glanced at Sookie she thought about the upcoming visit. Sookie had made such progress. Would a visit from the Viking set her back?

Eric Northman was legend. You would be hard pressed to find any supernatural person in North America who hadn't heard of him. He was among the oldest of his kind here. She had asked her staff if they knew about him. All of them did. Over the years everyone here had contact with guests and all the guests were supernatural. It was common that they would talk about small things of interest in their respective worlds. By asking Lydia confirmed what she had suspected; Northman's reach was such that he was guaranteed to be common gossip at some point In most of their lives.

The other thing that impressed the healer was how similar the comments were. The consensus was that he was a Viking warrior and a great fighter; he was fair to those who dealt fairly with him and ruthless to those who didn't. Most of those she asked thought he was famously aloof but brilliant. There were also a growing number who had seen his face and heard him in the media. Most recently he had been featured on a nightly syndicated talk show that spot lighted trending celebrities. The people who had seen him on the television added 'handsome' or 'hot' to the list of traits that people knew or thought they knew about Eric Northman.

People were also widely aware of the fact that he had been married to a vampire in Oklahoma. During his recent appearance on television the commentator had expressed condolences on the loss of his wife. Lydia found a clip of the interview on Youtube and was impressed by Eric's response. He appeared genuinely sad. Lydia knew enough about the circumstances that had brought Sookie to her to know that what she was seeing was a masterful performance.

If this actor was the Eric Northman that came to Sanctum there could be problems. Lydia needed to know more and today's sessions could help with more insight. If Sookie was going to weather this encounter she needed to be clear in her purpose and strong enough to remain true to what she wanted.

Lydia knew based on what she was seeing and hearing that Sookie Stackhouse was well on the path to recovery. Not for the first time the healer found herself wondering about the source of the telepath's resilience. There were still moments when Sookie's eyes were haunted, but more often she was smiling and joking in her unique way with the other guests and staff.

Barbara, the Sanctum housekeeper had developed a fondness for Sookie. The two of them had organized a down home Southern dinner for everyone at Sanctum one night. Sookie had them in stitches as she taught them 'southern-ese.' They'd tried out phrases like 'if that boy had an idea it would die of loneliness,' and 'even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then.' They ate fried chicken and fried pickles and creamed corn with lemon icebox cake. Lydia remembered feeling like her arteries were closing but the warmth and laughter of that night had helped everyone involved.

Lydia knew the time was coming when Sookie would return back into the world. That world would be different than the one she left. She would be faced with the stress of making a new home in a new place. Lydia had no doubt that the Kings Edgington and Crowe would make the telepath welcome. They would see to her comfort and they would not force her into some kind of servitude. It didn't seem to be in their nature. What was more to the point was that respect for the telepath's right to choice when she returned had been included as a condition to Lydia's agreeing to bringing Sookie to Sanctum. Lydia knew too well the importance of independence for women with a history of domestic violence.

As the two settled into their chairs in the room that they had adopted for their discussions it was hard not to notice the lighter, happier feeling that was Sookie Stackhouse. Before Lydia even sat down, Sookie started. "You know it was Jason that was the reason I met Eric Northman."

Lydia's eyebrows raised. She finished settling into her chair and picked up her notebook. Sookie smiled and continued. "Jason was being accused of killing girls that had been with vampires. I was with Bill at the time. I heard that those girls had been going to a vampire bar in Shreveport and I talked Bill into taking me to see if I could learn anything to help my brother." Sookie looked at her hands.

"I've been thinking about what you said; how my life might have different if I'd acted like Eric's wife. It got me thinking about what would have happened if I had never met Eric or Bill or any vampires. Makes me wonder if my Gran would still be alive."

Lydia took a deep breath. "Sookie, you know that our world; our supernatural world is a hard one. I don't know about your grandmother. I do have a pretty good idea what would have happened to you." She waited until Sookie was looking at her. "Your cousin had already told the Queen about you. Meeting Bill was inevitable. If it hadn't been Bill it would have been someone else. You would have been taken to New Orleans and when they realized you couldn't be glamoured they'd have turned you. They would have bound you to someone like Andre so you could be controlled. If they hadn't killed you or sold you for money you would have passed to Felipe de Castro during the takeover. If you agreed to offer him fealty and if he believed you had value you'd be living right now in Las Vegas as part of his retinue."

Sookie's eyes were wide. It was one thing to sort of know how things work. It was another to have it spelled out in stark fact. It occurred to Sookie that she had spent a great deal of time trying not to have too many facts about how things in the supernatural world worked. She nodded and continued.

"Like I said, I was with Bill Compton then. I remember that he was pretty mad at me that night. He was worried about my dress." Sookie smiled. "I really liked that dress. It was cut low enough in front that my Gran told me to take a sweater to cover up. But it was white with red flowers and it fit me real nice." Sookie blushed a little. "I thought that Fangtasia looked like a cheap tourist trap. Vampire movie posters and black everywhere. And of course there were the fang bangers. They would paint fangs on their faces or fake bite marks on their necks. It was embarrassing." Sookie shook her head. "Bill was getting hit on by women and even a man and he was pissy that I wasn't pushing his admirers away. When he took me over to meet Eric on his throne I wasn't sure what to expect."

"Eric was on a throne?"

Sookie nodded. "Real gaudy one. It was Pam's idea, having some vampire sit there on display. She called it 'enthralling the vermin.'" Lydia smiled. Sookie got a dreamy look in her eyes. "I'd never seen anything like him. He was all in black, tall and sprawled out like he owned the place – which he did - and dangerous looking. He was just about the sexiest thing I'd ever seen."

"What did you do?" Lydia prompted.

"Well, Bill had us stand just so and he bowed. I introduced myself since Bill seemed to have forgotten his manners. Then Eric said 'Aren't you sweet?' I thought he was being a little forward and I was nervous so I said, 'Not especially.' I guess it just tickled him because he laughed. I don't think I'll ever forget that. His whole face lit up and he was just.. well he was just… just beautiful."

Sookie bit her lip and looked down. "He answered my questions and he was real nice. 'Course then he ruined it by asking if he could borrow me from Bill." Sookie shook her head and rolled her eyes. "I ended up telling him about my being a telepath that night. Eric thought maybe I was a psychic and he was flirty. So I sassed him some more and he just laughed again."

"Bill couldn't have been happy about that." Sookie nodded.

"He wasn't," she told the healer. "And he was not happy when Eric told him to bring me back to Fangtasia to help out with an embezzling issue he had."

"Did you figure out who the thief was?"

Sookie smiled. "Sure did. It was his business partner, Longshadow. Eric saved me by staking Longshadow when he came after me." Sookie found herself remembering something else too. She remembered hearing Eric's thoughts. But she didn't share that with Lydia. "I didn't really hear from Eric again for awhile. But he did send me flowers once when I was in the hospital." And Sookie blushed again remembering that red flower that had looked just like lady parts.

Lydia smiled up at her. "Must have been some flowers."

Sookie smiled back. "Bill had so many bad stories to tell me about Eric. And Eric? Eric was so… irritating! He was like that bad boy that hands you a cupcake and you feel happy until you find the worm he shoved inside it!"

"So, he was teasing you." Sookie nodded her head. "You must have made some impression to have him so distracted."

Sookie shrugged. "Bill and I were together and he asked me to move in with him, but I just couldn't. There was something that told me to keep one foot in my own world."

"From what you described it doesn't sound like Bill was particularly kind to you."

"I know that now. It didn't matter much. Eric just kept finding a way to get into my life." When Lydia looked in a way that was a question Sookie provided "Well, there was a maenad. Then there was Dallas and the bombing. Oh and then I asked him for help in Mississippi. That's where I met Russell Edgington."

"The king?"

Sookie nodded. "It's when I killed Lorena Ball." Now Lydia's eyebrows flew up.

"You have a reputation as being a vampire killer," Lydia told her.

Sookie suddenly giggled. "Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer?" Then her face sobered.

"Bill had left me for Lorena, his maker. He'd set aside money with Eric to pay me off; pension me like an old mistress. Eric told me he was going after Bill. You see, he needed to find a database Bill had been working on before the Queen realized Bill was gone." Sookie looked at Lydia closely. "Lorena was the first person I actually wanted to kill and I asked Eric to do it." Lydia waited. "Eric asked me if it was because she was a vampire. He asked if I would have felt the same way about killing a human. I told him if she was human I would have done it myself. That time in Mississippi was one long running bad joke. I learned how to hide a body in a bayou. I found out Bubba was a killer. I found out what it was like to get staked." Sookie nodded her head toward Lydia. "Hurts like hell. Russell found someone who could clot my blood fast enough so I wouldn't bleed out. And Eric is the one that got me through it all. He gave me courage I didn't know I had. He gave me blood too and he arranged for me to rescue Bill and get away."

"What about Lorena?" Lydia asked.

"I killed her. With a stake, the same one that was used on me." Sookie laughed. "My thanks were I ended up in the trunk of the rental car with Bill Compton. He'd been tortured. Still, when he woke up he just about drained me and he raped me." Sookie bit her lip. "Eric drove me home. He never looked at me with pity or made me feel bad about myself. I ended up telling him all the reasons that I was angry and hurt about Bill. And you know what he did? He bought me a new driveway." Lydia looked puzzled. "I know," said Sookie. "You had to be there, but believe me when I tell you it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me."

"Sounds unusual for any vampire. And we're talking about Eric Northman. The vampire you're describing; this thoughtful and kind person doesn't fit any of the stories that people tell about the Viking." Lydia said.

Sookie nodded. "Yeah, that's what I hear. Don't get me wrong. Eric is always all kinds of scary. It's probably why I feel so safe when I'm with him. He's smart and canny. When he walks into a room you don't see anyone else. I guess that's why I couldn't believe that he was doing all this out of any genuine feeling for me."

"What happened to change that?" Lydia asked.

"The best and the worst thing that ever could have happened. Eric was cursed by witches and he lost his memory. I found him running to my house. I ended up taking him in and hiding him. And I fell in love with Eric Northman. I fell in love with a vampire who didn't really remember who he was or who I was. He was so sweet and so happy with me. He told me he didn't ever want to return to who he had been. He wanted to bring me to his side and stay with me forever. I told him it sounded like a marriage and he told me 'Yes.' It's the closest he ever came to proposing to me. I'll never forget that time and how happy we were together." Sookie felt tears threatening to spill over her eyes.

"So how was it the worst thing?" Lydia asked.

"He got his memory back. But the time we'd been together; all those things we said to each other; all the times we laughed and made love; he forgot all of it. I hurt when I found out how Bill had betrayed me. But I hurt different when I stood in front of this man I had fallen so completely and totally in love with and he was asking me if I'd yielded to him in a snarky way, like I was just some cheap goods he kind of knew. My heart broke all to pieces. It took a long time for me to forgive him."

"Sookie that was not his fault. It's like saying that someone is to blame for catching cancer or losing an arm. He had no control over that."

Sookie nodded. She looked miserable. "I know. I really do know it wasn't fair. But it's how I felt. He would come by after that. I could tell he was unhappy. He kept asking me to tell him what had happened between us. He knew something had and he couldn't put his finger on it. I just held it inside. I thought that if I said it out loud I would just break apart and there'd be nothing left.

But then I needed him to do me a favor, like I always seemed to need. It was like he won a prize he was so happy he could finally get me to tell him the truth. When I did it was like I'd poleaxed him. I could see that he believed me. And then he left and I didn't see him for a while after that.

I had met John Quinn by then. Everyone around me seemed to think Quinn was all that and a bag of hammers. He was a pretty handsome package. He seemed like a better prospect than Mr. Baggage Northman. But I couldn't avoid Eric. I was in the supe world and so was he. Of course things were never quiet. I always seemed to be in trouble. And Eric was always showing up to rescue me or make sure I was okay." Sookie bit her lip. "I'd start to feel a little tender towards him. You know, think I might be thankful. And then I'd remember how he lost his memory and I'd get mad all over again. I wasn't very nice to him."

"Did he say anything to you about his feelings?" Lydia asked.

Sookie looked away. "He didn't. But Pam did. Pam told me something around that time that stuck with me. She begged me to be merciful to Eric. She told me that he had 'inappropriate' feelings for me. She told me that I was putting him in danger by being a distraction."

"Did you think that meant he loved you?" Lydia asked.

"I didn't want to think about it. But now, I think it did. I think that somehow he did love me. But I couldn't see my way to loving him. I just kept thinking about how hurt I had been; how betrayed I felt when I lost the vampire who hid out in my house and loved me." Sookie laughed a little. "Silly huh? All I wanted was to be loved by The Eric Northman and there he was standing there the whole time wanting to be loved by me."

"And then we went to Rhodes. We weren't really together. He was mad. The Queen had pulled rank and I was a part of her retinue; not Eric's. I had no idea how dangerous that was for me. Eric knew. He watched me like a hawk. I took it the wrong way and made him pay every step of the way. Andre- the Queen's child? Andre tried to start a blood bond with me. He told me that he intended to bind me to him so that they could control me and my gift. He had me pinned in a little shabby hallway. There was nothing I could have done to stop it. Somehow Eric knew. He showed up and he talked Andre into letting him be the one to bond with me."

Lydia looked closely at Sookie. "Hadn't you already had Eric's blood? "

Sookie nodded. "And he had mine. He knew that by doing this we would be permanently bonded."

Lydia sat back. "He was willing to do that for you?" Sookie nodded. "Did you understand what that would mean to Eric?" Lydia sat back. "Sookie, the story of the two of you is so hard to reconcile with what people believe they know about you. People believe that Eric Northman is a calculating killer who is able to function in the human world. He is the ultimate bad boy. And you? People believe you are a sweet southern belle who is everyone's sweetheart. But who and what you are to each other is different. It's special. You had to know that for a vampire of his age to have bound himself to you in that way was extraordinary."

Sookie shook her head. "No I really didn't understand. All I knew was I was mad. I was so angry I couldn't see straight. All I knew was that I'd been manipulated and somehow Eric had to be to blame.

"I know there was some part of me; some small part that was flattered and happy to be his. We danced that night and I never felt more alive. There are moments in your life that stick with you; when everything is so perfect that it seems unreal. Dancing with Eric; feeling his arms around me and feeling his emotions running through our bond; that night was a perfect moment." Sookie smiled and exhaled.

Sookie seemed to gather herself. "Then there was the explosion. I had to find him. I saved him and Pam. I was in shock I think but happy that he was still among the living."

Lydia nodded. "There were so many who lost their lives that night."

Sookie nodded in return and they sat in silence for a period.

"What happened when you returned home, Sookie? Were you together?"

Sookie returned her gaze to the window. She could see the grass just starting to turn back to green. The light of the day was that thin, washed light that meant Spring was getting ready. Everything seemed fresh and new. "Eric wasn't around for a while after Rhodes. Then I think he was avoiding me. But one day he called. He took me to meet my great grandfather Niall Brigant. Niall knew I was bonded to Eric. He could sense it. That's why he'd asked Eric to arrange the meeting." Sookie thought back to that night. "It was so strange. I remember talking about all kinds of things with Niall. He knew Eric and he asked me a couple times about my relationship with him. But what I remember most is the drive home.

"Eric told me everything he knew about fairies. And then on the way back we were pulled over by an assassin dressed like a police officer. He was going to shoot me but Eric blocked him. Eric let himself get shot for me – again. I felt bad, but Eric healed and we kept going.

"And then it was so odd. As we drove towards my house I got this overwhelming feeling that I wanted Eric as a mate. My mind was running a million miles a minute. I kept thinking about how Eric was the best provider and a superior gene donor for children, like that was even possible.

"By the time we pulled up to my house and I got out it took bit of me to walk away from him. I got mad to make myself stop thinking about how much I wanted to take him inside and have crazy monkey sex. It was like my inner cavewoman wanted me to claim him. I don't think I've ever felt that way before – or since. Even now, thinking about it, it's like my whole body is telling me it's a piece of unfinished business. I can't explain it."

Lydia looked up. "Did Niall offer you a blessing that night?"

Sookie thought about it. "Yeah, he did. Then he kissed me and told me Eric was waiting for me."

"Hmm," Lydia said. When Sookie looked at her Lydia just shook her head.

"What?" Sookie asked.

Lydia let her breath out slowly. "I'm not sure." Lydia looked up. "I would want to talk with Niall before I say anything more."

Sookie snorted. "Well, that will be a trick. He's gone and he's closed all the portals." Lydia nodded.

When Sookie realized Lydia wasn't going to say more she continued. "It's possible that everything might have gone back to normal after that, but then the takeover came."

"Felipe de Castro?"

Sookie nodded. "I was so afraid. Eric showed up at my house. Bill was there too. All the other sheriffs in Louisiana had been killed. Sophie-Ann was dead. I thought for sure they were going to kill us. It was Victor Madden, that little weasel. Bill was telling anyone who would listen that he would defend me with his life, like that was any kind of deterrent. But Eric. Eric told them that if they hurt me forces beyond their imagining would strike them down. He was sure that they would let me live."

"He was so pragmatic. He found the bright side of all of it. And we lived through the night; all of us." Sookie looked at Lydia. "I never really appreciated how brave he was but I believe that he saved us all. I didn't see him again for almost two months. And I was pretty unhappy that whole time. I think it was feeling Eric through the bond. I didn't really know what to do. Then I got a call from him. I was being summoned to Fangtasia. He had arranged for me to hand him the knife…"

"The knife?"

Sookie nodded her head. "Yeah. A pledging knife. He had his day man tell me what I needed to do when I got the Fangtasia I did what he wanted and handed it to him in front of Victor. I had no idea what it was or what it meant. Mr. High-handed couldn't share that little piece of information."

"But Victor spelled it out. I started yelling at Eric. He told me it was for my protection and that just pissed me off more. It never occurred to him to just tell me what it was about. Victor was laughing and being nasty like he always was." Sookie looked at Lydia. "I was angry, but not in a hot mess kind of way. I just didn't like having these decisions made for me and no one even giving me the courtesy to ask."

"Sookie, did Eric ever tell you what pledging meant to him?"

Sookie shook her head. "Not that night. But he did tell me once he was married to me in the only way that mattered to him."

Lydia nodded. "He was. It's been over a thousand years since he would have experienced a human wedding. And it would have been very different from what you would expect. For one thing he isn't Christian." Lydia looked up at Sookie. "Have you ever asked him about his spiritual beliefs? Does he believe in some form of god or deity?"

Sookie found herself surprised. As much as she prided herself on her own religion she had never asked Eric about his. She realized there were probably a lot of things she should know about him but never took the time to ask. She shook her head.

Lydia nodded. "I'm sure you know this but vampires rarely marry. It stems from before the Revelation. It was just too dangerous to have too many vampires together in any one place. A maker traveling with a child was dangerous enough and the survival rates were low. To allow yourself to become emotionally involved and to bond and pledge would have been extraordinarily dangerous." Lydia took a deep breath. "Of course there are the royal marriages. But even in those strategic arrangements the tradition to stay apart continues. It's a matter of form that any marriage contract only require that the couple come together once a year to mate and renew the pledge. That Eric Northman would pledge himself to anyone and in particular someone not vampire is.. well it's very different."

Sookie looked at her hands. "It occurred to me after it was all over; after he'd left that his loving me is what made Appius, his maker come back."

Lydia nodded. "It may be so. But I don't know how we would find that out now." Lydia adjusted her notebook and then smiled. "How long did it take you to forgive him?"

Sookie smiled. "I waited for him to come to me. And I waited awhile. Then my brother Jason was going through a hard time. My sister in law was murdered." Sookie shut her eyes. She could still see Crystal's body nailed to that cross. "I didn't know what else to do. I just knew I wanted to see Eric. So I got in my car and I drove all the way to Fangtasia just so I could sit by him and hold his hand.

Sookie smiled. "You know? He was so happy to see me. It was like he had been waiting for me all along. He called me his wife but I just threw that back at him. I told him we weren't married. I could tell that I hurt him. You know he told me then about his past; his human life and his time with Appius." Sookie looked at Lydia. "How did he survive that? I couldn't imagine turning out like Eric, you know? Until Victor came into our lives Eric was mostly a happy vampire. He was a scamp and a scallywag and he made me laugh. After that night he sent me a card with a nudie photo of himself with his hand extended, like he was holding out his hand? He wrote a message on it saying he was waiting for me to join him." Sookie smiled again. "I do wonder sometimes what would have happened if I'd moved in with him."

Lydia started. "He was asking you to share his home?"

Sookie nodded.

"Did you have the impression that the offer was a one-time thing, or was he asking something else?"

Sookie hung her head a little. "Eric was always kind of hinting that he wanted me to move to Shreveport and give up my job."

Sookie smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I wish now that I had. I wish that I could tell him what I know is true. "Sookie looked at Lydia with conviction. "Eric Northman is the best thing that ever happened to me. He isn't like any romance story hero. He didn't fall on one knee and spout all kinds of lovey-dovey words. He was something better. He never wanted to change me. He loved me just as I am, warts and all." Sookie swallowed hard.

"I believe that for everyone there is a book of life. I know now right down to my backbone that Eric was my most important page. If I had held on and just said yes it was a page that led to my happily ever after. But I didn't know; I couldn't see what we were. I turned that page and I let him go." Tears slipped down Sookie's cheeks.

Lydia closed her book. "Sookie, you know Eric is coming here. There are things you need to know about what has happened out in the world." Lydia waited. She watched Sookie wipe the tears from her cheeks and draw herself straight. Sookie nodded and Lydia continued. "There was a takeover,"

"Eric?" Fear tracked across Sookie's face.

"He's fine. He is now regent for Oklahoma. Felipe is king."

"Freyda?"

Lydia sighed. "She's gone. I suspect she's dead. It's usually how these things happen." Lydia gave the telepath a minute to absorb the news. Then she leveled a look at Sookie. "That means that the protection of the contract is done. It's a good thing that you are now in the retinue of Mississippi and Indiana." Sookie nodded and bit her lip.

"Why do I get the impression there's more?" Sookie asked.

"I spoke with Pam. Sookie? Eric has been asked by his king to bring you back to Louisiana."

Sookie gasped and there was a brief flash of fear across her face. Then she drew a deep breath and Lydia could see fear being replaced by something else; resolve. "Does Pam think he's going to try?"

Lydia nodded. "Pam tells me that it's a matter of honor. It's a favor asked of his king. You know Eric Northman. He is nothing if not an honorable man. He will do what is necessary to meet his obligation."

Sookie sat forward. "Eric is honorable and I never appreciated how important that was. I expected him to break his word for me. I wasn't right and I don't think either of us would have been able to respect the other if he had. But Eric is something else too. Eric is sneaky. He knows exactly how far to go to do what he promises and still get his way."

Lydia couldn't keep the pride from her face. The strength that she now saw in Sookie explained so much more about what attracted the attention of a thousand year old warrior.

The telepath's face was calm, the look in her eyes steady and determined. "When Eric gets here we are going to come up with a plan. Make no mistake. Eric Northman is mine and I'm going to get him back."

**Las Vegas**

Felipe leaned back against the captain's chair in the main cabin of the airplane. Angie was in the back near the galley swiveling to the music that was playing through her headphones. Horst was seated across from the king. He had been silent since their departure. Actually he had been quiet ever since the takeover.

Felipe smiled. He was well aware of the issue. Horst had been surprised at Felipe's appointing Eric Northman as regent of Oklahoma. Felipe had seen the shock and a flash of anger on his second's face when Felipe made the announcement. Felipe had learned his lesson with Victor Madden. Loyalty was everything. You never give prizes until you are sure that the person you are rewarding won't use that reward as leverage to take more.

Victor had been a clever vampire. He was also ambitious; too ambitious. Felipe liked initiative but didn't like to have those around him make trouble. Victor had made lots of trouble. He had upset his subjects. He had lost money. He had lied and manipulated to make himself look better. That last part was not considered a black mark by Felipe unless he himself was the one to suffer. And Felipe had suffered.

Horst was not clever. He was a blunt instrument that excelled at those physical tasks that were needed to keep others in line. Had he been clever he would have understood that Oklahoma was a poor prize; financially bankrupt and unlikely to turn a profit any time soon. What's more, by tying the Viking in one place and holding his beloved progeny in another Felipe could assure himself that he would have obedience from both. One could not step out of line without endangering the other. They were in different geographic areas and surveillance would help to ensure that they were subservient. _'Yes_,' the king thought. '_A perfect solution_.'

Still, having Horst pout would not do. Felipe leaned forward. "Horst?" Horst turned from the window and met his king's eyes. No slight head bow. '_Hmm_,' Felipe thought. '_He is clearly put out_.' Felipe continued. "I am pleased by your actions in Oklahoma. It was a difficult task and I'm sure my appointing the Viking was a surprise."

Horst's expression relaxed a touch. "Your wishes are not mine to question majesty." And the slight head bow returned. Felipe smiled.

"It is a tight box the Viking sits in now. Certainly tighter than anything he experienced while his Queen was at his side." And Felipe laughed. Horst laughed as well.

"From what I could tell she would open her legs for anyone who asked and beg those that didn't. She was a waste of vampire blood and a disgrace to our race." Horst was now visibly more relaxed and inclining toward the king.

'_It takes so little_,' Felipe thought. '_So little to bring him to me_.' "Well," the king continued out loud, "The Viking seems to be making some headway in organizing his area. He seems properly grateful. Sandy's reports are promising. So now it is a matter of testing whether he is truly loyal."

Horst smiled. "You have arranged a test?"

Felipe smiled back. "Of course! And of the best sort. A test of the heart."

Horst's eyebrows raised. "His progeny?"

"No. The creature he truly loves. The creature he tells himself no longer matters. Sookie Stackhouse."

Horst shook his head. "Majesty, Northman walked away from her. He divorced her in front of us. He humiliated her. She renounced him and took another. I never wish to disagree with you my king. But in this thing I worry you are mistaken."

Felipe smiled broadly. "Horst, had I only seen the time during the final negotiations, I too would have come to your conclusion." Actually Felipe did not believe that. He could see throughout the final days how torn the Viking had been; how he had tried and twisted to spare his lover; how he had sacrificed himself to spare her. "What you don't know is that the Viking and I discussed Miss Stackhouse the night she saved me from Siegbert. It is the knowledge I gained that night that makes me so sure."

Horst waited, his hands clasped. '_How like a pupil awaiting his teacher_,' Felipe thought. "It was after the takeover. Victor had been pushing Northman hard for months. Mostly it was to punish the Viking for trapping the telepath into pledging herself. Victor was certain that the pledge was the result of trickery and that there was no true feeling between them. I suspect he wanted to claim the telepath for his own. She is very attractive and her gift would make someone powerful. Of course, Victor told me he was securing her for me." The king waved his hand. "But that was Victor. Telling you what you wanted to hear but playing his own game and hoping you didn't catch him switching the dice while your head was turned." Felipe shrugged.

"I was reviewing progress in Shreveport that evening. The Viking got a call and made excuses to leave. I was curious to see what could be so important that he would risk my anger. I followed him. He led me to a human restaurant. It was where she worked. He was inside but not for long and then he walked to an old car in the parking lot and leaned against it. He was clearly waiting, so I waited too to see what would happen.

"After a while Sookie Stackhouse walked out of the restaurant. Of course, I didn't know who she was then. When I heard them speak to each other I knew who she was and that the relationship between them was not as Victor said. It was more. I revealed myself and she made excuses and left. I decided it was time to understand what I was seeing." Felipe leaned forward, a sly smile playing across his face. "And it was delicious. He loved her. He was in love with her and was willing to do anything; give anything to keep her safe. He was ready to promise any kind of service or action to assure that she would not be harmed or made to do anything against her will."

Horst was taken aback. This was Eric Northman; the Viking. His reputation as a ruthless adversary was well known. There were stories and witnesses to attest to the accuracy of those claims. He was not some love-struck child to give himself away in this fashion. It was inconceivable.

Felipe nodded seeing the disbelief on his second's face. "Yes, Horst. I could have asked him to drop to his knees and offer himself to me and I believe he would have done it without a moment's hesitation. I had his balls in my hand." Felipe smiled. "Then Siegbert attacked us. I was so stunned by what I heard from Northman I was taken by surprise. And then I found out the best part. Northman had bonded himself to her. She came back because she could feel him. "Felipe shrugged. "She was magnificent. She ran over the Bert with her car – twice! I was so impressed I promised her my protection. A fair trade for the power she gave me over Eric Northman!"

Horst shook his head. "But surely my liege that has changed. He was so cold about her when we were there with Oklahoma. He set her aside."

Felipe smiled again. "Horst, how little you understand the heart of a vampire. Once engaged it changes little, like ourselves. The Viking showed how much he cared. He spared her in every way he could. He knew that it was only a matter of time before we found out that she had broken their blood bond and that we could have taken her. He would have been powerless to stop us. He pushed things forward to make sure the contract was already in place before they were divorced. It ensured she would be protected. He sacrificed his body and his freedom for her. What more proof of the depth of his devotion do you require?"

The captain announced that they would be landing in 20 minutes. Felipe leaned back. "Now I have given him his test. She is in Sanctum. I can't touch her there. Eric Northman is to bring her back."

The king continued. "She is likely under the protection of Amun Clan." Horst hissed. "Yes. Inconvenient. But I will have her back and I will bring her to Las Vegas where I can keep a close eye on her. She is valuable and she will perform for me." Felipe smiled. "Northman can deny her all he wishes. We both know that as long as she is within my grasp he will make no move against me. And if he does not succeed in convincing her to return, I have his progeny to show him the price that is paid for failure."

Horst smiled. "You are wise my king." Felipe noticed his second wasn't pouting any more.


	18. Chapter 18 - Home Harbor

Chapter 18 - Home Harbor

**NOTE: **Thank you to everyone who has stuck with the story. BIG thanks to Breathesgirl who has been a beta and more.

**Lake Aloma**:

Eric laid his hand on the travel coffin resting on trestles in the throne room. Arrangements had been confirmed. In the early afternoon during his daytime rest, representatives of Annubis Air would arrive. They would be picking him up and transporting him to their hangar and facility at the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City. There had been some discussion about his destination point but in the end the decision had been made to use Bradley International in Windsor Locks, CT. The King of New York had reminded Eric that he was still owed a visit, but Eric was concerned. Since the television appearances he had found his steps dogged by papparazzi. While this type of attention helped the kingdom it would create problems for his current mission. The last thing he wished was to have the attention of any non-supernatural turned toward Sanctum and its guests.

Karin had asked to travel with him but he denied her request. While the business of the kingdom was going well this would be his first time leaving the territory. It was these firsts that were always the most dangerous. If there were traitors in his midst this would be their opportunity to create trouble. Sandy would be here for some time but Eric did not have confidence that she commanded the proper respect. Karin, on the other hand had already struck fear in the hearts of vampires and weres alike. He found himself smiling as he thought of the way those in the hallways would look anywhere to avoid making eye contact with her as she walked by. It marked her as alpha in the palace and that suited Eric fine.

He stared out the windowed doors toward the horizon that was only now starting to show the hint of dawn. He thought again about his mission. His phone buzzed. He glanced at it. It was a text from Felipe asking him to report as soon as he landed. He acknowledged and dropped the phone back in his pocket.

Karin approached him. "I have heard from Connecticut. They are anticipating your arrival. A car will be waiting along with a van to transport the coffin. They have a house in Kent which is only a few towns from Sanctum. You will arrive in plenty of time to settle in. They are interested in renewing acquaintances. I have informed them that you prefer an AB donor if available." Karin waited for Eric to acknowledge her report with a nod and then waited. Eric could sense her tension. He was sure that she could appreciate his own.

As the hour approached he found himself increasingly uneasy. He could not foresee any scenario that would have Sookie Stackhouse happy to see him. She had rejected him with such finality. He would never forget the sight of her crouching over the shifter throwing away their one chance; throwing him away.

Eric suspected that the purpose of being summoned to Sanctum was to provide Sookie 'closure.' Pam had told him about this. It was a technique that allowed humans to move forward after some unsettling personal event. Pam had started recording episodes of Dr. Phil and she was even keener about the advice provided by this human than she had been about Dear Abby. This doctor seemed to advocate confronting issues face to face. Eric could see himself being asked to stand before her while Sookie recounted every way he had failed her. He found himself missing the pre-Revelation days when you could solve your personal issues with a stake and silver. This current way seemed crueler.

"Master?" Karin called him back from his thoughts. "Are you sure of your purpose in this visit?" Then Karin stared at him. He could feel her tension ratcheting so he purposely calmed himself and pushed it toward her.

"I am. I have a message to deliver and I will do as I have promised." Eric smiled briefly, and then turned his head back to the window. "Shouldn't you be seeking your rest?"

Karin smiled briefly as well. She had felt his turmoil for hours. As each hour passed it had increased. She wasn't fooled by the sudden wash of calm. "Eric, I question the reason for your mission. It is unlikely that Sookie will be willing to return to Louisiana. Her home is gone. If she were willing to return because of you, you are in Oklahoma and not Louisiana. I worry that this favor was asked purposely as an excuse for you to fail."

Eric nodded. He had considered this possibility. "Karin, if I don't do this Felipe will have leave to punish me and mine. He wouldn't touch you, but he could hurt Pam."

Karin looked at him, her gaze sharpening. "Master, consider. You are in the public eye. Pam is in the public eye. If you remain before humans on the televisions and in their magazines, how does Felipe explain your disappearance or your injuries?"

Eric realized he had not considered this. The habits of remaining hidden ran deep. What Karin was suggesting was novel. They might be able to seek their protection by running towards the public light instead of away from it. Eric started to turn this over as a possible option and found the idea had merit.

Eric smiled now in earnest. "Karin you present a most intriguing idea. But you must go now. I feel the pull of day. I am sure that you feel it more keenly than I. I will text you when I arrive."

Karin bowed her head. Without rising from her position she said, "Master, be kind to her. There were none after you who were." Before Eric could react to his fierce child's words she straightened, turned and was gone.

**Connecticut:**

Eric walked from the plane. The sun had set during flight and he had moved from the storage area in the back of the plane to the seats up front. He was the only passenger. He realized this was the first time he had been alone since he left Louisiana. His time in Oklahoma had been continuously monitored. When he wasn't resting he was aware of eyes on him, even in his private chambers.

Eric stared out the airplane window as the lights of Hartford passed below him. Soon. Soon he would see her again.

There was a driver awaiting him. The Annubis crew made quick work of transferring both luggage and coffin and within 15 minutes Eric was on his way to the western part of the state.

"Roads are clear all the way, sir," the were driver informed him. Eric settled back and relaxed into downtime.

It took almost an hour to reach Kent. The small town was nestled around a central hub. Eric noticed the bright lights and quaint storefronts. The driver brought him to a lovely historic saltbox house. As Eric exited the vehicle the door was opened from inside. The light poured out and a lovely woman bowed. "Welcome Mr. Northman. My king bids you greetings. If you follow me I will show you to your chamber." The light tight room was located on the second floor. The furnishings were dark wood and the room had a fireplace. The shutters appeared to be on an automated timer. The woman stood at the open door awaiting his approval. When he nodded she said, "I can send up a donor whenever you're ready."

Eric looked around him once more. "No need. I will return later." He knew that he wasn't expected at Sanctum until tomorrow but he suddenly knew he couldn't wait. Eric walked back down the stairs and then out the door. He looked to the sky and launched himself upwards.

**Sanctum**:

Sookie walked into the sun room that was located in the back of the main house. The large windows opened onto a stone patio surrounded by rounded stone walls. One of her favorite features in the room was an aviary that had been built into a corner. There was a soft chair positioned nearby that allowed the telepath to watch the little birds flit from branch to branch.

Today had been a good day. There were many good days now. When she thought of those times; of The Time, it was with a mixture of regret and determination. She felt regret that she had not had the belief in herself to walk away. She couldn't reconcile the woman her Gran had raised with the person that had permitted another to have such control. She knew that on some level she had been grieving for her grandmother. Certainly the anguish she had felt had found its mate in the too frequent physical pain she had endured.

Sookie could see her Gran now as a woman willing to make hard decisions to create a happy life. Her Gran had wanted children. She had approached her husband and they had taken the less easy path. Her Gran could have pushed Sookie and Jason toward their Aunt Linda's house when their parents died. It would have been easier for her. But she didn't. She opened her home and worked harder to make them comfortable. She remembered her Gran meeting her own brother Bartlett on the front porch, a loaded shotgun in hand. Sookie had thought that her Gran would have pulled the trigger if it hadn't meant going to jail and leaving Sookie and Jason alone. Sookie remembered feeling so safe and grateful. She never doubted she had her Gran's love and support. She never doubted that her Gran knew how to fight for what was hers.

When Sookie had fought Rene Lanier she had wondered if that act of violence made her less Christian. When she had killed Lorena Ball she remembered a moment when she felt that the she was on a path of darkness.

Was killing those who would harm you and yours a justified act? There were no easy answers. There were still days that Sookie felt some measure of guilt for the lives she had taken. She remembered the fierce look on her Gran's face as she told her own brother that if he ever returned she would shoot him on sight.

Sookie would never choose to kill another creature but she knew that being strong enough to defend those you loved, even if it meant killing, was something she could and would do again. What's more, she knew that it was something her Gran would do if she was still there. That knowing had helped her to turn a corner.

Sookie was a different person now. She knew in her heart she was strong. She would never again permit someone to have the kind of dominion that she had given Sam. She thought of Lydia's words when she had described the telepath's life. When Sookie had first arrived Lydia had asked her if she thought of herself as a warrior. Sookie had said 'No.'

Now when she looked in the mirror and saw the light of fire in her eyes she found herself thinking of Pam and Karin. She remembered that day that she had met Karin and realized that each of them was blond and blue eyed. She had been angered by the thought that Eric chose them for their matched looks. But now Sookie knew that the resemblance that mattered was the steely determination that was at the core of each of them. Sookie no longer felt uncomfortable at the thought that she might have been counted as one of them; she felt pride.

Sookie had started thinking about her feelings of becoming vampire. She could not see herself giving up the light of day and the warmth of the sun. She watched out the window as this day started its end and the colors of sunset played out over the hills. Sookie found herself caught once again in the wonder and the majesty of the moment. The first of the stars was peeking through the darkening sky. She could see the brief shadow of a bird headed for the forest and shelter. Day and sun and air were a bone deep part of her. She understood it was the legacy of her Sky Fae bloodline. She could love vampires now and accept them but she could never be a creature of night.

Sookie turned her eyes back to the finches in the tall wire cage. She found herself wondering if the birds viewed themselves as captives. It was strange to consider that the birds in the cage might be better off than their wild cousins. Sookie found herself wondering if the birds ever missed the sun and the wind.

Her mind wandered to Eric Northman. She thought of all the times he had offered her safety and protection. She thought about how she chose her own freedom instead. She had wanted sun and wind and flying free but now she realized that her choices had come with a high price. The evening's light was long gone as Sookie thought about how her choices had cost Eric as well. She thought about how she had refused to call him husband. She thought about how she treated his fears and concerns for her like they were foolish; like he was foolish. She wondered how such a strong, proud man had allowed it. He had stood back and defended her even when she treated him like he offered nothing; like he was nothing.

Sookie watched the birds and wished with all her heart that she could be one of them; happy behind wire. '_Isn't that the essence of love_?' she thought. '_A safe place where the truth that is your life with another can grow_?'

"Sookie?"

She stilled. Her breath caught in her throat and her mouth fell open. That voice, Eric's voice was behind her. She'd heard it so many times over the past months speaking in her dreams and in her thoughts. She wondered if this was another of those times when she would talk with her Viking and he would tell her truths about herself. Sookie closed her eyes and held her breath.

"Sookie?"

She could hear something; someone moving. The sound was in front of her. She thought she could smell something; that familiar dry smell. She bit her lower lip and was suddenly afraid to open her eyes. Then she remembered she wouldn't be afraid anymore. She could face anything and had.

So she opened her eyes and he was there. His face was right in front of her own. He looked exactly as she remembered him. His eyes, so blue and calm were looking right at her. His blond hair was pulled back from his face. She blinked one more time and then lifted her hand. She had to touch him; to prove that he was real.

Her fingertips traced his cheekbone. She allowed her eyes to follow the tracks her fingers made. She smoothed along his cheek, taking in the texture and slight chill of his skin; then the rough of a beard that never really grew; the firmness of his jaw. She brought her fingertips up to trace the bow of his upper lip and found herself smiling. She felt her heart beating like a bird, banging against her breast.

His hand came up to capture hers. Without breaking eye contact he turned her palm to his mouth and kissed it. Then he laid her hand against his cheek.

Keeping her eyes on his she slowly raised her other hand and glided her arm around him to pull him close. He shifted forward and then wrapped both his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. Sookie's eyes closed again as she allowed a feeling of utter happiness to wash over her. She could feel the wool of his suit against her cheek. One of his large hands squeezed her to him while another found its way to cradle the back of her head. Her own arms wrapped around his waist. In that moment she knew such joy that the laughter bubbled from her lips and happy tears prickled her eyes.

Eric. Her Eric. He was really here.

She pushed back from him then. As she felt his arms fall from her Sookie saw a look pass over Eric's face. It was the same look she had seen every time she had denied him. It was as though he was closing a door between her and what he was feeling. She could see now what she had done to him. She had set an expectation that it wasn't safe for Eric to open himself to her.

Sookie knew that she never wanted Eric Northman; her Eric to ever doubt her again. For the first time in all their time together Sookie Stackhouse leaned in to claim what was hers.

Eric had landed outside the boundaries of the facility. He realized that there were wards that prevented him from remaining airborne. He could see the lights and before he even thought the better of it he was running towards them. He didn't knock. He opened the door and walked in. He knew he was a day earlier than expected. He looked around the central hall. And he smelled her. That scent; that unmistakable sweet scent that was so uniquely hers. He found himself walking through the back hall and into an open space that had a wall of glass that looked into the darkness beyond. He turned his head and he saw her. She had her back to him. She looked so small in the chair. Her hair was pulled back in a single braid. He realized she had used the snake braid he had taught her. It touched him in a way that was unexpected.

He called her name. He could hear her breath catch but she didn't turn to him. He said her name again and walked around until he was facing her. He saw then the sharpness of her cheekbones. Her chin was pointed instead of the roundness he remembered. There were hollows beneath eyes that were closed. She sat so still with her hands clasped in her lap; her mouth open in an 'o' of surprise.

He wanted to believe that he didn't need this woman; that she was no longer a part of him. But he found himself falling to his knees before her. He saw the changes on her face. Her nose was no longer so straight. There was a scar on her upper lip. And then her eyes opened and he was captured. He knew the minute she lifted her hand and touched his face that any thought that he could separate himself from her was a lie that he was telling to himself.

Somewhere within him a voice was telling him to run; get away from this succubus. She would betray him and he would be destroyed this time. But he found himself helpless under her hands.

She brushed her lips against his. He watched her, his gaze guarded. His lips remained still beneath hers. Sookie refused to give up. She shifted her kiss to his upper lip kissing first the left and then the right side of his mouth. Then she kissed the dip and she smiled into his eyes. She lowered her mouth so that she could nip and pull at his lower lip with her teeth, teasing him. His mouth shifted and she took it as permission. She renewed her demands, dropping her hands to grasp his. She looked into his eyes, letting him see how much she wanted him. She shifted a little so that she could place feather kisses on first the plane of his right cheek and then his left. She rubbed her nose across his, allowing him to smell her; breathe in her breath. She pulled back from him again so she could look lovingly over the strong angles and surfaces of his face. She dropped his hands and raised her own to smooth the fine hair of his eyebrows with her thumbs. She brought her face forward so she could rub her cheek along his. She inhaled the fine scent of him; marking him with her own scent on his skin. She called his name softly; "Eric, Eric." She nipped his earlobe and gently circled the outline of his inner ear with her tongue. She kissed the side of his neck and ran her teeth along the strong line of muscle that led to his shoulder. As she nibbled her way back toward his jaw he hissed.

His hands captured her head and he rotated her face so that he could bring his mouth down on hers. His lips were no longer motionless. His mouth pulled and demanded hers. When he opened his mouth she surged forward to plunge her tongue forward, challenging him. She changed angles and then slid her body forward from the chair, pressing herself against every part of him she could.

Sookie's blood was roaring. As she devoured his mouth, her hands ran over the broad planes of his chest. She ran her fingers under his suit jacket and sought out his nipples through the material of his shirt. She found his hardened peaks and she rubbed and then scratched them with her nails feeling them tighten further under her fingers.

Eric's hands dropped from cradling her face to run down her arms. His long fingers brushed the sides of her breasts and she moaned into his mouth. She grabbed his hands and placed them on her, squeezing them as she wished him to squeeze her. She broke the kiss and rubbed herself along his cheek again. She reached her arms under his jacket and pulled the back of his shirt from his pants. She needed the feel of his skin under her hands. She needed to feel all of him. She plunged both hands under the waistband of his pants to reach and hold his perfect ass.

Eric's hands had found their way under her sweater. He pulled her bra cups down so that her breasts were freed to his touch. He pulled her nipples; tweaking and twisting as he recaptured her mouth.

Sookie stood up then, pulling away from him. He eyes followed her, his gaze dark and his fangs descended. She took his hand and pulled him to follow her. She had a moment when she wondered if he would. He had looked at her hand and then her eyes. Then his eyes had dropped back to her hand and he squeezed it and stood tall and then taller.

She turned and pulled him down the hall that led to her room. She looked back to see his eyes. She couldn't stop smiling. He was watching her. She could see that he was troubled. She didn't care. They would find their answers together.

Sookie pulled him through the door to her room and dropped his hand as she turned to engage the lock. As she turned back to Eric, Sookie had a moment when she felt suddenly shy and unsure. What would he think? Would he still find her attractive? But then she looked at him. This was Eric. This was hers and she found her courage and her strength and the deep reservoir of feeling that she had for this man.

She walked forward and ran her hand under the bottom of his suit jacket to cup and then squeeze the curve of his world class ass. As she walked forward to stand in front of him, she trailed her fingers under the edge of his waistband and then along his hip trailing down toward his gracious plenty. She tipped her chin up so that he could watch her eyes. She pulled the front of his shirt free of his pants. She grabbed his belt with one hand and ran the nails of her other hand under the fabric of his shirt. She allowed the blunt edges of her nails to lightly scratch the slight hairline near his navel and then ran her hand up his body. She used fingertips as she moved higher coming even with his chest . Then she pulled her hands back so she could begin to unbutton his shirt. She started at the top, kissing and nibbling each piece of skin as it was revealed. She could see his erection pressing against his pants. His eyes were stormy and his fangs were prominent in his slightly open mouth. But he made no move to touch her.

When his shirt hung open she moved forward and started placing open mouthed kisses against his skin. She used her teeth and tongue to taste and explore each muscle and indentation. And suddenly she couldn't wait any more. She needed to feel him; to feel him on her. She jerked his jacket down his arms and then his shirt. Her hands couldn't find enough of him. She reached for his belt and pulled to free the buckle. She had unclasped the top of his pants and had reached for his zipper when he roared.

There was nothing soft or forgiving in what passed between them. Sookie's clothes were shredded and her back hit the bed in a motion that banged the headboard against the wall hard. In the past she may have clasped him to her, accepting what he offered. But that was then. Sookie found herself roaring in return. She flipped him over and captured his lips. She grasped him firmly in her hand, stroking him and lining him to her. Then she held his eyes as she took him within her, keeping her hand on him until he was fully seated. She squeezed him one last time then sat up, her head thrown back as she started the rocking motion that made him hers.

He grasped her head in his large hand. He turned her face so he could see her eyes. Although Eric didn't need to breathe Sookie could see him drawing in air. She knew he could smell the scent of her arousal. She saw his eyes darken and take on a wild quality. He flipped them back over and he took both her hands in one of his, holding her wrists above her head. He drew back and then slammed into her. She gasped and he did it again. Sookie wrapped her legs around him. She met him thrust for thrust. She found her happy place within minutes. Eric didn't stop. He pounded her through another orgasm and as she found her voice, begging and screaming and shouting his name he came within her. Without thinking she surged forward and bit into his chest. His back arched and then his mouth was at her neck. She could feel his fangs sink into her as his own powerful release flowed into her in wave after wave. He pumped slower then, and she felt herself clenching and squeezing around him as her own body slowed its celebration of their joining.

He released her hands and pulled back. She reached up to lay her palm to his cheek. He turned his head and captured the fingers of her hand, sucking them. She caressed his fangs. Then she pulled him to her. He pulled out of her then so he could rest his head on her chest and listen to the rhythms of her racing heart.

Their whole world seemed to be within the four corners of the canopy bed. They found themselves drifting after the first time in the languorous place of in between that only lovers find. Sookie stroked his hair while Eric absently stroked her breast.

"You've changed," he said.

"Yes," she answered.

He shifted then, lifting her easily and pulling down the blankets. He laid her back on the bed and crawled in beside her covering them both. He pulled her to his side and then turned her so her back faced him. He pulled apart her braid and unraveled her hair, smoothing it with his fingers to lie against her back and shoulders. When he was satisfied he turned her back around and he tucked her under his arm so her face could rest on his shoulder.

Without raising her head she asked, "Your wife is dead?"

Eric stilled. It troubled him to think she might not know. "Yes."

"Oh," said Sookie. She was quiet for a moment, then added "That's good."

Eric found a smile teasing around his lips. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Yes. Very good."

Sookie wet the tip of her finger with her mouth and then used it to paint Eric's nipple. She blew across it and watched it peak. She looked up at him, grinning. Eric grinned back and then suddenly they were laughing.

Outside the door Lydia and Barbara exchanged looks.

"I thought he was killing her," Barbara said.

Lydia nodded and exhaled the breath she didn't know she was holding. "I expect it's the Viking." Then she smiled wryly. "I think you better get the light tight chambers ready. I suspect we have an overnight guest. I'll write out a message and leave it under the door."

Barbara grinned back. "I'll check the blood supply. The famous Eric Northman!" She started to make lists in her head of what would be needed to accommodate their latest guest.


	19. Chapter 19 - Safe Anchorage

Chapter 19 – Safe Anchorage

**NOTE: ** Thank you to everyone who is reading and commenting on the story. Your enthusiasm and participation keeps me inspired. And thank you to Breathesgirl who has joyfully coached, cajoled and read more than once. You are wonderful!

**Sanctum**:

Sookie slipped from the bed to head to the bathroom. "Human needs," she whispered. She found herself looking in the mirror as she washed her hands. Her hair was messy and her lips were swollen. She looked like a woman well-loved. She closed her eyes for a minute and whispered thanks to whatever deity might be listening for giving her this second chance.

As she came out the door she saw Eric. He was on his side and he lifted the blankets, inviting her in. She remembered that photo he had given her and she found herself grinning. Then something caught her eye. It was a piece of paper on the floor near the door. "Just a minute," she said and winked. She turned off the bathroom light, walked toward where she had seen the paper and picked it up then made a beeline back to the bed.

Eric wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He nuzzled her hair taking in the scents of her and the feel of her skin against his. "What is it?" he asked as he kissed his way along the line that her hair made along her forehead.

"Well, there's no way I can read it in the dark, Eric!" She pushed against his chest to free herself a little. "Give me a minute and I'll turn on the light." She started to lean away from him but he pulled her in tighter while tugging the paper from her fingers.

"Allow me," he said. She couldn't see the smirk on his face but she sure knew it was there.

"Show off!" she told him and released the paper so that his hand jerked back a little. Eric rolled back from her and laughed. As her eyes readjusted to the dark she could see him raise his hand to scan the message.

"It seems you are too loud, lover. You alarmed our hosts and they are now aware that I am here."

Sookie swatted his chest. "I'm loud? I'm not the one who roars and tosses furniture around!" And then Sookie laughed again and snuggled into his chest. "What does it say?" she asked.

Eric's free hand stroked her hair. Sookie closed her eyes and wondered if she could make that curious purring sound that Eric did when he was content because it was sure how she felt. "It says that I am welcome to stay here. There are light tight quarters on premises and some directions on how to find them. I am expected to make myself available tomorrow evening. Or is it this evening?" Eric looked at the clock beside the bed.

Sookie stilled against him. "Will you stay?" Eric shifted beneath her.

"I am expected in Kent. They also have light tight quarters. It is only a short ways. Whether I stay there or here it is the same."

Sookie propped herself up on her elbow so she could look at his face. She was able to see the definition better but wished she had his true night vision. "How can you say it's the same? I want you here. I just got you back and I don't want you going anywhere."

Eric smiled. "So demanding. Of course I will stay with you as long as I can. But once I go to my rest it is immaterial whether I wake here or there."

Sookie puzzled this for a minute. Then she knew. She had slept at Eric's house in Shreveport occasionally. But they never went to sleep and woke up in the same space. She had had her own bedroom. She had told him she didn't like being in his light tight space. She had told him it made her feel claustrophobic.

Sookie brought herself forward until she was close enough to his face to see his features more easily. Then with a boldness she didn't know she had she reached down and took him in her hand. She could see the surprise register on Eric's face. "Eric Northman I'm telling you that I want you to stay here. If it would make you more comfortable to move over to the new room now, we should just do it. But I am going to fall asleep in your arms and I'm going to wake up in your arms and I'm going to live every minute I can being with you." Sookie leaned forward and captured his lips. Eric took her arms then and pulled her on top of him. He kissed her like a man on fire and she kissed him right back.

He pulled back to let her catch her breath. "You're sure?"

Sookie scowled at him. "Don't you go doubting me!" she said. "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it." She could see him smirk.

"So sassy. Well, if you mean to hold me prisoner then I should text my hosts so they don't worry." Eric picked her up and set her to his side before rolling over and standing up. Sookie moaned behind him. He turned and caught her eyes watching his butt so he turned back around and gave a little shake. He could see her from the corner of his eye crawling toward his side of the bed. He leaned down to retrieve his suit jacket and reached into the pocket for his phone. He shook the jacket out and laid it across one of the chairs then he retrieved his pants and shirt and did the same. He walked back to the bed where he could see her watching him, her eyes shining. She scrambled forward and raised the blankets for him as he had earlier for her.

Eric found himself overwhelmed with her. She acted as he had always wished; demanding what she wanted yet comforting in her touch. She did not pout or cry or whine or make him feel guilty or unwanted. He found himself wondering where the real Sookie had gone and when he could expect her back.

They settled back into the bed. Eric propped the pillows so he could sit against the headboard. Sookie snuggled into his side. Eric found the number of the Kent house and sent along a text that he would be staying as a guest of Sanctum. Then he returned the phone to the table.

"If I stay past rising I will need to see about having my clothes shifted. At the very least I will need a charger for my phone." Then he put his arm around her and pulled her close.

Sookie started to stroke his abdomen, her fingers tracing the lines and shadows of ribs and hip; sinew and muscle. Eric waited for the questions that would follow. His telepath was always a good one for questions. But this Sookie, this new Sookie of sharp cheekbones and pointed hips didn't ask questions. She reached for him and started to stroke him back to life. She turned her head back to his chest and rubbed against him like a cat, her hair trailing across him. His hands reached for her as every memory of her body; every sensation of her played across his mind's eye.

She raised herself enough to kiss and stroke down the length of his body. She brought herself level with his cock and then drew him into her warm mouth. She used her hands and teeth as he had taught her. He sat up and grasped her around the waist, turning her so that he could pleasure her as well. He used his hands and tongue and teeth to draw whimpers and moans from her; whimpers and moans that vibrated around him. As he felt her walls begin to tighten around his fingers he turned and licked her thigh. He could smell a subtle difference in her essence. She smelled even more alluring than he remembered. He bit into her artery and felt her clench around his hand in the same moment. She became wild around him, bobbing and moaning and he came as well. She collapsed on top of him, still holding him in her mouth and stroking him with her hand. He could have stayed there forever.

Sookie nosed the crease where his hip met his leg. She licked it and then turned herself to crawl back up and under his arm. She remembered something Eric used to say. He would tell her '_This is right. This is best_.' She knew what he meant.

Eric shifted to sprawl with his legs a little wider and Sookie took him back in her hand. She couldn't seem to get enough of him. She settled herself in the crook of his arm. She loosed him to take his hand and place it back on her breast. She threw her leg across his and then lowered her hand to grasp him again.

When she felt her heart rate fall back to a more normal rhythm she said, "So, are you going to turn me over the Felipe de Castro?"

Eric twitched and then stilled. Of all the questions he thought might come this one was unexpected. "Why would you think that?" he asked. He was suddenly very aware that she had him in her hand.

"Pam and Lydia talked. Why? Was your mission some big secret?"

Eric shifted a little then, and wrapped his arm around the back of her head so he could massage her scalp. He pulled her up toward him and kissed the top of her head. "No. I was waiting for you to stop molesting me so that we could talk."

Sookie smiled more broadly and removed her hand, placing it just below his chest. "There. Now I'm not distracting you. Spill it, Eric."

Eric sighed. Sookie knew that it wasn't necessary but allowed him a moment to gather his thoughts. "This is not what I expected when I came here my lover."

Sookie nodded. "Yup. I could see that. So, what did you expect?"

Eric stared toward the ceiling. "I thought you would be angry with me still." Eric could feel through the blood exchange they had made earlier that she was feeling anything but angry. "I thought I would have to stand before you and have you tell me how I had wronged you. Pam called it closure."

Sookie rolled to her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows so she could look directly at his face. "Why would you think I would be angry at you?"

Eric glanced at her then back to the ceiling. "Oh, so many things. That I told you I wished to turn you. That you knew I had thought about bringing you to Oklahoma so that I could see you. Trying to block the shifter." Eric looked back at her. "Why Sookie? Why did you do it? Why didn't you use the cluvier dor for us?"

Sookie felt the sadness washing over her. Here was that question; the question. "I'm not sure I can tell you.." she started. Eric leaped from the bed. He walked over to the chair and grabbed his pants.

"You're not sure?" he shouted at her. "Same old Sookie. You don't know?"

Sookie jumped from the bed and grabbed his shirt just as he was reaching for it. "Oh no you don't Eric Northman! You are not leaving. You are going to get back in that bed and you are going to let me explain myself."

Eric stared down at her, his fangs slightly protruding, his eyes wild. Sookie took his hand in hers. She pulled him towards her and walked him back. "Eric, please." She sat down on the side of the bed, his shirt in one hand and his hand in her other. She stared up at him. "I can't tell you because the answer to that question has changed so many times." She swallowed and pulled him slightly. He turned to sit beside her. She leaned over so her head could rest on his shoulder. "When it happened it was so fast. I thought Sam was my friend and my business partner. I just couldn't stand the idea that Sam, that any friend of mine, would die in front of me and that I'd stand by and do nothing. Especially if I could save them." She turned her forehead into his shoulder and rolled slightly back and forth against him. "And I couldn't believe that you couldn't just fix the other thing. I couldn't understand why you just didn't say, '_Sookie, I choose you_.'"

"I couldn't. To have done that would have violated every belief; every code I held dear," Eric said. He didn't look at her instead he stared into the room. "And now this thing with de Castro. I promised him I would try to convince you to return to Louisiana. I pledged him my fealty; my service."

Sookie smiled a little as she slipped her arm around him. "Well, you are a pretty good convincer. There was a moment back there when I would have done just about anything you asked." And she nipped his arm.

Eric let out a breathless laugh. "Are you telling me I missed my moment?"

"I'm telling you that there is nothing I wouldn't do for you, Eric Northman." Sookie hugged him. "I thought about what I did and what it did to you so many times over these past years. When I realized just how I'd wasted our chance at happiness for a rat like Sam Merlotte; Eric there isn't an ocean big enough for the tears I've shed." Sookie shivered. "I hope you aren't thinking that you want to punish me for it. Because you can also believe that I've taken enough punishment for ten lifetimes." Sookie turned her face to him. She knew tears were on her cheeks and she could see his nostrils flare when he scented them.

"You said it before, Eric. I've changed. I won't promise you that I won't fight with you or that I'll always go along with what you think is right.." Eric snorted. Sookie squeezed him harder. "What I will promise you is that I will fight for you. I will fight for us. Eric Northman, I was born to be yours. I will never doubt that again." She could see Eric's eyes grow wide. "And you are mine, buster. Don't you forget it!"

"Buster?" he said. "I don't know why you call me that."

Sookie pushed him back on the bed and unfastened his pants. As she reached for him she said, "Don't you worry about what I call you Mr. Northman. You just keep up your end of the bargain and everything will turn out just fine."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sookie and Eric moved to the light tight quarters. They were pleasantly surprised by the size of the bed and the indirect lighting. The room had light walls and it was pleasant. Sookie had made a point of telling Eric that she had no problem with any room so nicely decorated.

They sat up for hours discussing the challenges that lay ahead of them. Dawn found them and they were still not settled on any clear plan. Finally they let sleep claim them, entwined around each other.

Sookie found herself waking up in the late afternoon to a growling stomach. She had been so nervous yesterday that she had barely had anything for lunch and she had skipped dinner altogether. She carefully opened the first door and shut it again before she opened the door leading into the hallway. She retraced her steps to her room and fixed herself up enough to appear in the kitchen. She was still tired and she was walking more gingerly than she had in a long time. In the past Eric would have offered to heal her. They had talked about the blood exchange and decided that further exchanges were too dangerous. As it was any supernatural would be able to smell them on each other.

Barbara was at the counter working on dinner when Sookie appeared. "Well good afternoon sleepy head," she said.

Sookie smiled brightly. "Top of the afternoon to you too!" She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a yogurt.

Barbara's knowing look had Sookie laughing. "Well," the telepath said, "I guess you know Eric is here." Sookie couldn't keep the smile off her face.

Barbara smiled right back. "I think the whole building knows that Eric is here." Sookie could feel the blush flood her face. Barbara's smile widened. "It looks like it was a happy reunion."

Sookie nodded and glanced away from Barbara's scrutiny. "It was… is." She took a breath. "Is Lydia available?" Barbara nodded.

"This is usually the time she spends in her office. Why don't you go knock on the door."

Sookie walked through the kitchen to the small space that had once served as a pantry. It had a window that dominated the space making is light even on dark days. The desk and shelving were built into the walls. The overall effect was cozy and intimate. She knocked on the half open door and pushed it forward. Lydia was on her swivel chair. She turned as Sookie came in. "So the claiming went well?" Sookie found herself blushing again as she nodded. "How are you feeling about it?"

"Good," Sookie said quickly. Then she thought about the feelings running through her. "Unsettled." Lydia motioned to the small stool that sat in the corner. "It seems so fast. We still have so many things to settle. And there are problems; serious problems."

Sookie told her about Felipe de Castro. If Eric didn't convince her to move back to Louisiana he could find himself in trouble. "But didn't the king appoint Eric regent? Surely that counts for something?"

Sookie shook her head. "I don't know. He could be a good guy, but my gut says he's not. During that whole time with Victor he could have made things better. Maybe he didn't know what was going on. Maybe he trusted Victor. But I think Victor was Felipe's fall guy. I think that Felipe had Victor do all that bad stuff so he could turn around and pretend it wasn't him. When Victor died Felipe came to Shreveport. He didn't look any too sorry to see Victor gone but he still wanted to punish Eric. I can't explain it. I just know he's a double dealing snake in the grass."

"Sookie, I would like to speak with you both. I know that you feel strong now but this is a critical time for you. I would have preferred knowing that you were returning to a more stable place; a place that would allow you to catch your breath and clearly think things through." She looked at Sookie and her face softened. "I am happy for you. How many of us lose our love and have a second chance to reclaim it? But if you aren't ready things could spiral out of control again. You could find yourself falling back into the same habits – both of you."

Sookie nodded. She noticed the light fading through the window. "We'll come to the main room after first dark," she said. She rose and walked back to the chamber where her Eric rested. She did not want him to rise without her by his side.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was closer to seven by the time Sookie and Eric made their way to the living room. Lydia was reading and there was a fire burning. As the couple walked forward Lydia stood and bowed to Eric. "Greetings regent, and welcome to Sanctum."

Eric bowed as well. "It is an honor to meet the lady of Sanctum. Your reputation is everywhere. I am in your debt."

Lydia straightened and gestured toward the couch. Eric circled his arm around Sookie and turned her. Lydia noticed how they seemed to find ways to maintain some kind of physical contact. Although she didn't share their bond she could see the comfort they derived from each other.

Eric leaned back and draped his arm around the telepath's shoulders. "Sookie has told you of my situation?" he said. When Lydia nodded he continued. "Your reputation is one of neutrality. I am reluctant to share our plans in a way that might compromise you. But there are some things I need to say." He glanced at Sookie. She smiled at him and placed her hand on his thigh. "If others were aware that Sookie and I have renewed this attachment we would both be in danger. We have exchanged blood. That means others will know. They will be able to smell us on and in each other. It will take some time to fade and a single exchange can be explained away." Eric pulled Sookie closer to him. "I must tell my king that I have been rejected by Sookie and my king must believe that. He may ask someone to verify that information."

Lydia looked down at the closed book in her lap. She thought through the implications. The sanctuary this place represented was due to the protection of kings and queens. If she were to be seen as taking sides, even if it turned out to be the right side, it would damage her standing and credibility.

Sookie looked at Lydia. "From where I sit this is what you know. You know that Eric came here in the middle of the night and before he was expected. You know that he was given a task by his king involving me. You know that we spent the night together and that there was sex involved." Sookie couldn't help the blush rising up her face. Eric could smell the change and smiled indulgently at her. Sookie was smiling back into his eyes. Then she turned back. "And you know that after he left I decided to leave too. And I told you that I was going to Mississippi."

Lydia looked from one to the other. "So, when are you leaving?" she asked.

Eric answered. "I would ask your indulgence to be allowed to stay for one more night. I will be leaving before dawn."

Sookie smiled sweetly. "And I will be leaving as well. I need to contact the kings and let them know I'm coming."

They chatted about small things after that. But within the hour Sookie and Eric excused themselves. As they rose together and took their leave Lydia found herself hoping that they would find the happiness they deserved.

**Las Vegas:**

Sam Merlotte lay sprawled on the double bed. The girl he had used last night was still snoring, her back to him. He would kick her out at soon as his head cleared a little. He didn't know her name but he didn't need to. If there was one thing Las Vegas was good for it was an endless parade of empty headed bimbos willing to prostitute themselves for a little excitement in their lives. Sam had started to enjoy these encounters in animal form. He'd start human and then shift into something else. Sometimes he'd shift more than once. He liked to see the look of surprise on a girl's face. Sometimes there was a look of fear. He liked that even better.

Felipe had set him up with a place to live but Sam didn't think that the free ride would continue much longer. He couldn't imagine why the king hadn't made his move already. All he could figure was that De Castro must be getting something out of this. And who was Sam to question a king? So he spent the king's money, ate the king's food and fucked his way from one end of the strip to the other. And waited.

So when Horst approached him that night while he sat at the blackjack table he wasn't surprised. "Come with me," Horst had said. Sam followed Horst to the touchpad operated elevator. He could see that they were heading for the upper floors; the business floors. They walked down a few hallways before approaching a door that had a guard stationed outside. The guard nodded, opened the door and stepped back.

The office was all dark wood and rich carpeting. The window that framed the desk and chair boasted a fine view of the neon and lights that were the strip. Sam thought that a photo from here would be a perfect postcard. "Greetings from Las Vegas. Wish you were here." But he got the feeling that he wouldn't be sharing that sentiment for long.

"Ah, Mr. Merlotte!" Felipe looked at him like he was some long lost friend. Horst grabbed his arm and steered him to a chair. Horst then placed a hand on his shoulder and pressed until Sam was fully seated. "How have you been enjoying your stay in my kingdom?"

Sam made himself smile. "It's been great. Thanks for the hospitality. You make me feel real welcome. I feel like all the loyalty I've shown you has been worthwhile." And he smiled more broadly hoping that reminding the king would help.

Felipe frowned. "Yes you have been a good informer. But I'm not sure if your loyalty was to me or to the recently deceased Oklahoma." Felipe waited to see Sam's reaction.

"Not sure why you'd wonder your majesty," Sam said smoothly. "Sure I did some side stuff for her but only when it didn't interfere with your plans. Like she wanted me to hurt Stackhouse's friends and brother. But I didn't. It would have gotten messy and I knew you wanted to keep things on the down low."

Felipe looked at him and his eyes grew hard. "Yes, we did cover this when you first arrived." Felipe smiled then in a way that made Sam think of a crocodile. "And now it's a question of what to do with you." Felipe leaned back, bringing his hands together. He looked at his fingers as he continued. "I can't send you back to either Louisiana or Oklahoma. Word has already traveled and it would be only a matter of time before you would tell everything under torture. Isn't that right?"

Sam leaned back himself, trying to look nonchalant. "Yeah, that old life is pretty well gone for me. Which is why I need a new life here; a life that will allow me to keep being valuable for you."

Felipe's eyes shifted to Sam. "I have a hard time thinking what that value would be Mr. Merlotte. I think your shelf life has expired." Sam felt Horst's hand on his shoulder tighten.

Sam took a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking. "I could see how you might think that. Of course if anything were to happen to me a whole box of receipts and emails and other stuff that makes it clear that you were my employer would find its way to Oklahoma. I figure that the Viking won't think he's so indebted to you if he finds out what was really going on." Felipe and Horst both hissed. Sam waited, wondering if he'd overplayed his hand. When he found himself still alive after a minute he pressed on.

"Seems to me that there's money to be made in pit fighting. I don't know when you've had a real shifter in there. Someone who can turn on a dime and force the opponent to combine both skill and brains. You could package it as mixed martial arts with a supernatural twist. I'll change my name. If you advance me a little coin I'll visit one of the plastic men and do a little facial alteration. We could sell it as an X game and broadcast it on internet or cable for subscription." Sam could see Felipe starting to consider what he was saying. "And if you wanted to do some mortal combat stuff on the side we could arrange that. Hell, I'd do the first one for free just because you've been such a good host."

Felipe considered. He didn't like that this shifter was blackmailing him. He would have to consider what was to be done. "A worthy idea. But the first two mortal encounters are free. Consider it payment for the plastic surgeon." The king nodded at Horst and Sam was escorted from the office.


	20. Chapter 20 - Taking Bearings

Chapter 20 – Taking Bearings

NOTE: Thank you to everyone who is reading and offering their feedback. I appreciate it! If you have a question feel free to leave in review. Special Thanks and kudos to Breathesgirl. I was working through some scenarios that would bring Sookie into the Eric story arc and she suggested a wonderful idea – a story within a story with Bill Compton as author. Enjoy!

**Sanctum:**

Sookie was crying with the abandon of a child. "I'm so sorry, Eric! I didn't want to do this! I've been working this around in my head and I thought I'd be all brave and having something all inspirational to say. Instead I'm just a hot mess." The pain of parting rushed over her again and she found herself sobbing helplessly, her fingers gripping and then stroking his sides. She was ashamed that she was wasting their last minutes together. She knew she had snot running down her face and that just made her cry harder.

At first Eric had been alarmed by her complete disintegration. One minute she had been a shield maiden at his side, planning confidently; a rock. But as he moved to the edge of the bed in preparation for dressing she had crumbled. He had felt her confidence recede and a great sadness fill its space. And then she had flung herself across him and started to cry. He had tried to shush her but finally given up the effort and leaned back against the headboard, wrapping her in his arms and allowing her to give vent to her feelings.

It had felt like a storm; rocky and turbulent but underneath the grief and the sadness he had felt something new from her. There was a connection there that was aimed at him. It felt like acceptance but was somehow deeper and more pure. As her wails slowed and became a kind of hiccupping, he felt it more strongly. He had thought he had felt love from her in the past but now he knew that he had not.

"Do you regret this?" he whispered to the air above her. He was suddenly afraid of the answer. But Sookie turned in his arms and grabbed his chin. He couldn't help chuckling. She looked terrible but at the same time never more beautiful.

"Never. I love you. I love you Eric Northman. And if you want me to bond with you right now to prove it I will!" Sookie struggled out of his arms and started scrubbing at her cheeks with the back of her hands. She looked at the table beside the bed for Kleenex. Eric handed her a towel they had used earlier and Sookie used it to wipe her face. He could feel her pulling herself together. She looked at him and she sent him a feeling of pure possessiveness. He actually felt himself warming because the sensation was so strong. "I said it before Eric and I'll keep saying it. I am yours. I am yours with everything I have; my heart, my body, everything I am." Sookie wiped at his chest and then leaned to lay her head back against him.

"Well," Eric chuckled. "Perhaps I should ask you to have that tattooed somewhere so that when you forget the reminder will be handy."

Sookie snorted. "Like 'property of Eric Northman'?"

'Nothing that grand." He smiled. "'Mine' will do." Eric pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Sookie remembered reading in a novel that a true kiss was one where you kiss like it's the last time. Eric's lips on hers felt like goodbye.

Eric felt her sadness return. "No lover," he whispered. "No sadness now. We will part but only for a little while. We will be together again. That is written for us both. We have walked far but our journey's end is now ahead of us. Surely you believe in that."

Sookie smiled then and nodded. Eric; her Eric smiled broadly. "Let me go now, lover. Let me remember this moment and how you look. Amun Summit is in weeks. Find a way to be there. We will see each other again." Then he wrapped her in his arms. Although Sookie couldn't feel his emotions she was sure that he was not feeling as strong as he sounded.

He pulled away from her once more and moved to the side of the bed. Sookie turned on her side and he looked at her over his shoulder.

"It is time," he said. "Never doubt me. Never doubt us. Close your eyes now and count to twenty. Know that with every breath you take I am one step closer to you."

Sookie closed her eyes, tears falling freely down her cheeks. She counted and when she opened her eyes Eric Northman was gone.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sookie returned to her room. She sat on the bed and relived every moment; every touch that had passed between herself and her Viking. Dawn was approaching and the horizon was streaked with pinks and oranges. "Red sky in morning..." Sookie thought. There would be a change in the weather and it would not be fair skies. Then she remembered her favorite movie and Scarlett O'Hara standing against a blazing sunset holding the turnip and declaring that she would fight on.

"Gran didn't raise a quitter," Sookie said out loud. She stood up and headed for the bathroom. Step one was taking a shower. As the hot water hit her she hissed. "Sure missing that healing now," she grumbled and then she smiled again. When she emerged she pulled on comfortable clothes and headed back to the kitchen.

Lydia and Barbara were sitting around the farmhouse table. They both looked up but before they could talk Sookie held up a finger and headed for the coffeemaker. Coffee in hand she took a seat. Barbara reached over and took Sookie's hand. Lydia smiled her eyes soft with concern. "He's gone?"

Sookie returned the smile. "Yup. He's headed back to Oklahoma. And I'm fine. Better than fine."

Barbara nodded. "Well you look like a gal that could use some breakfast," she said and she stood up and walked to the other side of the kitchen leaving the telepath and healer alone. Lydia continued to watch her. When Sookie met her eyes they gazed at each other for a minute. Finally Lydia spoke.

"Ok, then. So you want to return to Mississippi?" Sookie nodded but Lydia did not look convinced. "You're sure that this is the right time?"

"Lydia, I know how I look. Part of what you're seeing is a gal who's had no sleep and who's sitting end is darn sore, so don't read too much into it. I feel all kinds of nasty but that doesn't mean I don't have a smile on my face." Sookie waited for Lydia to respond. When she didn't, Sookie continued. "You've said yourself I'm ready to be returning. I know this isn't perfect but from where I sit it's so much better than I ever expected. I thought I'd be returning to a new place and having to figure out a new life among strangers. I thought I'd be starting from scratch knowing that I would never be whole. Because that's what life without Eric is for me; what it has been for me; a half-life. I'm not saying I would have refused to be happy or retired into some quiet corner. That's not me. I would have made friends and I would have got up every morning and done my best by everybody. But that's not the same."

Lydia leaned over and took Sookie's hand in hers. She could see that the telepath believed what she was saying. "I don't doubt you or what you're feeling. But I can't help but think that this reconciliation is very fast. You were so far apart and in a moment you are together. Having met your Viking I can understand how anyone would be swept up in the moment." Lydia smiled and squeezed Sookie's hand. "I have come to care about you. I do not want you to ever return to this place." Lydia waited until Sookie nodded. "Are you sure of him?"

Sookie's smile tightened and became a straight line. Her eyes turned hard and she withdrew her hand. The look she gave Lydia was far from friendly or weak. "I like you Lydia and I owe you a great deal. I know that everything that I am from now on is partly due to you. I will never forget that. But don't you ever say anything to me against Eric. I know what he told me and I will never doubt him again. If you value my friendship then you better respect him too."

Lydia looked down at the table. She squeezed Sookie's hand again and then released it. "As we've discussed I have been keeping the kings updated with your progress. I will give them a call tonight and we can get things rolling. I'll have luggage and boxes brought to your room. Pack enough for the flight home and a couple days after. We'll ship the rest." Lydia noticed that Sookie was reluctant to meet her eyes. "Sookie?" Lydia waited until the telepath finally looked at her. "I am happy for you. I am happy for you both."

Sookie nodded. Barbara came back to the table with a plate of fresh fruit and scrambled eggs. Barbara placed her hand on Sookie's shoulder. "We are going to miss you, sweetie," she said.

Sookie nodded and picked up the fork. "Me too," she said.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In the end it took days to finalize arrangements. Bartlett had insisted that Thalia be sent to Sanctum to accompany Sookie to Jackson. While he hadn't offered an explanation Lydia had the distinct impression that there was some reason that the king wanted an extra degree of protection afforded the telepath. Clothes were boxed and sent by Federal Express. It was decided that Sookie would be sent back to Jackson on the kings' private jet. This would minimize the chance that she would come to the attention of anyone supernatural once she left the protection of Sanctum.

On one of her last evenings in Connecticut Bubba called to speak with Sookie, and they spent over an hour talking about Jackson and music and how the pool house was being converted into a private residence for Sookie's use.

"We sure do miss you down here, Miss Sookie!" the vampire told her. "Mr. Russell and Mr. Bartlett are both so happy to have you coming home. Mr. Bill is as jumpy as a June bug asking all the time when you'll be here. And that nice lawyer Mr. C. arrived yesterday. He said to be sure to tell you he was looking forward to seeing you real soon." Sookie wondered why the demon lawyer would be there and how he knew where to find her. She hoped that his arrival wasn't signaling trouble. "It sure will be good to see you. Everyone down here is real nice but they don't hold a candle to you, Miss Sookie."

"Thank you Bubba. Just seeing your face will make it seem like home to me." Sookie thought about the damaged vampire and the kindly-meant though frighteningly straight forward way he interpreted any assignment.

"Well, thank you Miss Sookie! Thank you very much," he said in his trademark way.

The day that Thalia was due to arrive Sookie received a large arrangement of flowers. There were daisies and a dozen crimson calla lilies. There was no card but Sookie didn't need one. She knew the flowers were from Eric.

Barbara smiled as she delivered the arrangement to Sookie's room. "Daisies for patience and Calla lilies for passion. Guess we know where these came from."

Sookie smiled but didn't say more.

Now that the time was here, Sookie was finding herself increasingly nervous. It was one thing to say that she was ready but stepping forward into this particular unknown was daunting.

Darkness fell and Sookie found herself dressed and waiting alone in the main room. Leave taking with Lydia and Barbara had done nothing to lift her spirits. She couldn't help but think that she might never see the women again. Lydia had hugged her close and whispered, "You are strong and your path is ahead of you. I am always a phone call away, but everything you need is here." And she had touched Sookie's chest over her heart.

Sookie turned as Barbara walked into the room trailed by Thalia. Even knowing that this was a vampire she admired and respected, Sookie still found herself holding her breath.

Thalia's expression looked angry and her eyes were wary. She walked into the room, and then stopped several feet from Sookie. Sookie rose and when she made eye contact the vampire's black eyes bore into the telepath's. In spite of the short vampire's frosty appearance, Sookie found herself smiling. "I am so happy to see you, Thalia"

Thalia's eyes narrowed. "You reek of the North Man," she hissed. Barbara's eyes widened and then she turned and walked back out through the hall leaving Sookie and Thalia alone.

While Thalia eyed her, Sookie took a deep breath, centered herself and said, "Yes, Eric was here at Sanctum. He tried to convince me to return with him but I didn't see myself in either Oklahoma or Louisiana." Sookie smiled her broadest smile and walked past Thalia toward her bags.

Thalia fell into step at her elbow. "It would be better if you didn't start by lying to me Sookie. You forget I know you both." Sookie was silent. She didn't know what to say. Thalia touched her elbow and Sookie stopped. She couldn't bring herself to turn around and face the other woman.

Thalia waited but when it became clear Sookie wouldn't look at her Thalia took the initiative to walk directly in front of her. She positioned herself close to the telepath's face, purposely invading her personal space. "You must have a death wish to come back like this. Every supe within 10 feet of you will smell you and the vampire in you. Are you really thinking to tell people that he means so little that you walked away from him? Is that your plan?"

Sookie wet her lips and looked at her feet. She thought about what she knew of Thalia; what the vampire had done for her. She dug deep and tried to put bravado in her voice that she didn't really feel. "Are you telling me that it's so unbelievable? Are you telling me that no one will believe that a mere telepath could turn down the great Eric Northman?"

Thalia sneered at her. "You used to be a better liar." Thalia indicated that Sookie should sit down. Then she moved herself to block the telepath. "This is what you are going to do. You are going to take my blood."

Sookie reared back. She found herself having a flashback to that terrible night in Rhodes with Andre. She could see his face in front of her again. Thalia must have seen the panic playing across Sookie's face because she said, "I will not force you, but you must listen to my logic." Then she waited until she could see the telepath catching her breath. When Sookie nodded, Thalia continued. "The first thing that taking my blood will do is to muddy the scent you carry. People will smell vampire but my scent will be most clear. I am older than the Viking. My blood is stronger." She waited again allowing Sookie to process this information.

Sookie swallowed several times. She gathered herself and then met Thalia's eyes. "What will this do to Eric? Will it interrupt what he feels from me?" Thalia's eyes narrowed as she considered the question.

"First, why does it bother you? I thought you were turning him down?" Thalia crossed her arms and waited.

Sookie looked away then looked back to meet Thalia's eyes again. "When we were bonded and the bond stopped Eric knew. He was worried. I don't want him worried."

"You've become good at not answering questions. There may be hope for you yet," Thalia told her and then she soundlessly laughed. "I can smell you are not bonded with the North Man. If you were it could not be hidden not even by my blood. I am glad that you were able to show some restraint. Bonding now would be a death sentence to you both. I would not wish to waste my blood for a lost cause."

Sookie found herself smiling her Crazy Sookie smile. Her eyes widened when she saw Thalia smile back; grin really. It didn't look happy exactly. "The other thing that you taking my blood will accomplish is to allow me to track you more easily. As your appointed bodyguard no one would question this."

When it looked like Thalia was going to step forward, Sookie felt tears threatening. "Thalia, this is a lot for me to process. Just give me a minute?" Sookie drew several deep breaths to steady herself. Thalia crossed her arms, clearly willing to wait. Finally Sookie felt herself more grounded. She allowed her smile to become softer; more genuine. "I never thanked you for getting me out of Louisiana. I expect if you hadn't I would never have made it to Sanctum. I am in your debt." And Sookie bowed her head.

Thalia huffed. "There is no debt between us," she told Sookie. "You have shown courage and a willingness to fight for our kind. You have put yourself in danger to end scum like Victor Madden." When Sookie nodded, Thalia cocked her head to one side. She looked inquisitive. "Are things resolved between yourself and the North Man?"

Sookie took another deep breath then let it out all at once. She made a decision. "Things are not resolved; not truly. He's in Oklahoma. I'm here. He's pledged himself to Felipe and Felipe wants to get his hands on me. He sent Eric to get me and return me to Louisiana, but I expect you knew that."

Thalia hissed. "No. I did not know that the Viking was sent like a messenger boy."

Sookie nodded. "But if you're asking if we are resolved to find a way to be together, the answer is yes. God only knows how all this will end, but one thing I do know is that I'm going to fight to find that way back to his side."

Thalia smiled openly then. "Said like a vampire." Thalia brought her wrist to her mouth and opened it with her teeth. She held it out to Sookie.

Sookie asked, "Will you want to drink my blood too?"

"No," Thalia told her. "I have no desire take what belongs to another whether bonded or not." Sookie nodded and stood up. Stepping forward she grasped Thalia's wrist and lifted it to her mouth. Sookie saw the appraising look Thalia was giving her. Sookie said out loud the mantra that was in her head and that guided her steps, "Eric Northman is Mine!"

Thalia nodded. "You will be a mate worthy of him, breather. Drink, Sookie. Drink and live."

**Jackson:**

Once they arrived at the mansion, Sookie and Thalia were dropped at the pool house. Sookie realized with a start that this was the same pool where she had hidden Lorena Ball's disintegrating corpse so many years ago. Thalia noticed her wide eyed stare and scowled. "The Kings thought it appropriate that you be given the pool house as a residence since you showed such an interest in their pool." Sookie found herself smiling in spite of herself.

The pool house was really a converted guest cottage. There were two bedrooms. Both were light tight with automated shutters. There was a kitchen and a cozy sitting room that had a gas fireplace. There was a bathroom with a large stand up shower. The entire front of the house was an enclosed air conditioned porch furnished in rattan pieces.

"I will stay here with you. When you are on the grounds you will be free to wander. If you leave for any reason I will be with you." Thalia stared at Sookie, waiting for her challenge. She didn't have to wait long.

"What if I want to leave to run errands during the day?"

Thalia gave her a level look. "You won't." Sookie winced. Thalia spoke the rest in a firm voice that told Sookie this was not negotiable. "There is too much that can happen during daytime hours that present danger. Weres, witches and fae all operate during the day. If you need something we can arrange for it to be handled during night hours. Most stores and other services have night hours now to accommodate us." Sookie knew that 'us' meant vampires. "While you are on these grounds we are confident of your safety. Once you leave you need a competent guard." Thalia made sure that she had the telepath's attention. "And the only guard that can be completely trusted with you is me. You understand?"

Sookie found her temper rising but the hard look on Thalia's face kept her from challenging the vampire. Sookie was still fighting with her better nature when there was a knock on the open door. Sookie turned to see Bill Compton's head looking in. She noticed that Bill's hair appeared to be a little longer. When he saw her looking at him he opened the door more fully and stepped inside.

"Welcome home Sookie! You look so much better." Sookie could see Thalia staring daggers at Bill. She wondered what that was all about.

Sookie smiled her company smile. "Well it's really nice to see you Bill. I'm not sure if I have any True Blood in the refrigerator. Why don't I check?" Sookie found she appreciated the excuse to walk into the kitchen and get a moment to herself. She was exhausted. She found she felt edgy and wondered if that was the effect of Thalia's blood. She opened the door of the refrigerator and found that there were several bottles as well as an assortment of human food. She grabbed two bottles, uncapped them and heated them in the microwave. Then she returned to the small living room. She set each bottle on a napkin near a chair and then seated herself on the couch. Bill took the hint and sat down. Thalia stared at the bottle of blood but left it untouched. She retreated to a corner of the room that provided the best access to exits.

"I won't stay long," Bill told her. "I know that you just got in. But I wanted to bring you something; a gift." Bill held out a brown-wrapped box. Sookie took the item and realized that it was a book in brown paper. She smiled uncertainly and looked at Bill.

"Gee Bill; this was awfully nice of you. You didn't have to get me something." Sookie unwrapped it and looked at the slip cover. There was a picture of a bare-chested man with fangs. He was holding a voluptuous blond woman. The title was "Bonded by Desire" and Sookie realized that the author was none other than Bill Compton. She felt the Crazy Sookie smile starting in earnest. "Gee Bill. You wrote a book? That's really great. And look at it. All published and everything."

Bill was beaming. "I was so unhappy after the database stopped selling. Then I thought what if a vampire was to write a romance novel? It seemed like such a good idea. I put together an outline and I found that a couple of publishing houses had expressed an interest. I wrote the first few chapters and one of them offered to advance me money. The book just about wrote itself. I was inspired. And now there's talk that it's selling so well it might make the New York Times Bestseller list. It's a dream come true for me." Sookie found herself smiling so hard her cheeks were hurting and her jaw started to ache.

"And you know the best part?" Bill asked. Sookie shook her head. "It's a story that was inspired by my own life." Sookie started to feel a small tendril of panic. "Sookie, open the book and look at the dedication page." Sookie couldn't make herself stop smiling. Her fingers felt numb as she turned the first few pages to find: _To S.S. This is for you. W.C. _ The book fell from Sookie's fingers. She could hear Thalia laughing behind her. Bill scowled at the vampire. Sookie could tell from his face he couldn't understand her reaction.

Finally Sookie remembered her manners. "Bill, this is really kind of you. I'm flattered that you think so well of me." Sookie smiled at him but she knew her eyes still looked wild. Sookie started to take in Bill's appearance. He was still wearing his usual Dockers pants. But now he was wearing some kind of button down shirt and a sweater that had leather patches on the elbows. She thought this might be his writer's disguise. She wondered if he would wear glasses during his book signings. She found herself giggling, but the sound was more manic than happy.

Thalia stepped forward then. "You need to leave, Compton. Sookie needs to sleep."

Bill smiled. "Of course. I will come to see you tomorrow night. I will tell you all about the book." He smiled. "I am so happy that we finally have this chance to be together again."

Sookie couldn't think what to say. Her head was spinning and she felt hysterical laughter starting to bubble up through her. Bill left, but as he was shutting the door her turned around and winked at her. Sookie thought it looked more like a twitch than a wink.

Thalia walked forward and locked the door. "What an asshole," she said. Then she turned to Sookie. "Don't make me treat you like a child. Get into bed and stay there." And Sookie did.


	21. Chapter 21 - Lines of Position

Chapter 21 – Lines of Position

**NOTE: Thank you to everyone who is reading and thank you to everyone who has left feedback. A personal and heartfelt thanks to Breathesgirl who checks my faulty grammar but also inspires me. The Bill Compton storyline is her idea. Inspired! **

**Lake Aloma**:

Eric's first thoughts as he rose for the evening were of Sookie. He was surprised to find he could feel her through their blood bond. He could tell there was distance, but he clearly sensed the thrum that was her life force. He was still in his travel coffin and the enclosed space allowed him to luxuriate in the scent of her. He knew that he would need to wash her from his skin but for these few minutes he could close his eyes and remember their time together.

There was a purity in purpose that resulted from having a bond in place; even one as temporary as the exchange he and Sookie had made. His thoughts had been warring with him when he arrived at Sanctum. He had told himself so many times during his years in Oklahoma that his feelings for the telepath were ended. He had almost convinced himself that he could carry out De Castro's assignment and remain indifferent. He had been proven wrong.

Accepting his affection for her so quickly had been a gamble; perhaps a weakness that he was unable to resist. But then had come the blood exchange. In that moment of sharing, Sookie's emotions had been laid open to him. He could feel her attachment and her sincerity. He could feel her joy. He was sure that he felt love from her. He wanted to trust that those feelings were constant and strong. Granted, the Sookie that he knew before Oklahoma had not been constant. She had said one thing and then done another. But this had felt different; she had felt different.

For a moment, Eric considered that in all his long existence as vampire he had never truly loved. He appreciated that his ability to discern feelings; to navigate the obstacles of the heart were undeveloped. He found himself contemplating the possibility that for all his knowledge and experience that in this aspect he was unschooled and therefore vulnerable. Then, in the next minute he accepted this possibility and refocused on this moment; on the next step that would move him forward and one step closer to being able to claim Sookie Stackhouse as his once again.

Eric took one last inhalation, feeling like he was holding her to him in every way possible. Then he opened the coffin. The room was as he had left it. Clothes awaited him on the bed. He walked through his closet and started the water in his shower. As he emerged, the steam following him, a donor appeared. He fed then sent the woman on her way. He had found that fucking them rarely satisfied him. For those times he had needed the release and focus that sexual activity provided he would ask for a particular group of donors. He had assembled them over time; pretty enough, skilled and undemanding. But now he felt no need. He pulled his cell phone from the charger cradle and sent his text message to Nevada.

'_Apologies for delayed transmission. Phone trouble. Stackhouse has declined. Instructions?"_

He hit send and then walked to the business offices.

Sandy Seacrest was already at work when he arrived. Her greying head was turned to the dual monitors. She appeared to be reconciling local reports to a larger balance sheet. She turned her head and briefly bowed, acknowledging him. "Welcome back."

Eric had come to like Sandy. She reminded him of Maxwell in many ways; smart, well ordered. Eric found himself smiling. '_A plodder_,' he thought. '_But a good one. I wonder why she stays with De Castro_?'

Eric bowed slightly in return. "Good evening. Everything in order?"

Sandy had turned back to the monitors when she answered him. "Everything but you. Did you forget to update someone on your progress?"

"Felipe has contacted you." Eric said it as a statement. "I have already texted him with my progress. Or I should say my failure." Sandy looked up at him, her eyebrows raised. "My charger was missed in the packing." This was a lie but Eric had taken the extra step of throwing his away in a trashcan in downtown Kent as he was leaving.

"Not like you to be so sloppy, Regent." She gave him another sharp look.

Eric smiled and shrugged. He attempted to look nonchalant. "I probably could have made other arrangements but I'm not used to failure. I was sure that I would be returning with good news. I had even considered the possible side benefit of bringing Miss Stackhouse here to Oklahoma now that I am free to do so." Eric broadened his smile into more of a leer. "She has always proven herself most entertaining. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to indulge in her more interesting assets."

Eric did not believe that Sandy was convinced. He waited for her to press her investigation. She didn't; instead she turned his attention to the papers and folders on the desk near him. '_This is interesting_,' Eric thought.

He walked to the desk and picked up the first folder. It included a detailed report of the assets that were either sold or pending sale. The expected windfall in cash was substantial. There were additional assets that were identified as potential candidates for sale. He would look these over in more detail later.

The next folder was a prospectus on investment opportunities available in the kingdom for natural gas exploration. There was also a paper that had been published by the Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis. Eric quickly read through the arguments and information that illustrated the benefits of establishing ventures that incorporated both natural gas exploration and renewable energy sources. Sandy's report concluded with a financial prospectus on investment potential for both natural gas and the natural gas/renewable energy options.

Eric realized he was impressed. The analysis and recommendations were not the work of some pencil pusher. He found the insights provided to be both thought provoking and innovative. Eric had always prided himself on being someone who could come up with solutions to what appeared to be insolvable problems. The work in his hand suggested that he had found someone who could see what lay beyond conventional thinking every bit as well as he could.

Eric walked over to Sandy and laid the report down in front of her. When she glanced up he smiled. "It's brilliant," he said.

Her look was wary. "Brilliant? In what way?"

"Your recommendation to co-develop allows both short term profit with a long term plan. As pressure for greenhouse gas reduction continues we could take advantage of developing technology to flex between gas and renewables. We trade carbon credits to offset penalties and there are tax credits available to cushion initial investment in infrastructure. That is brilliant." Eric noticed the flare in the woman's eyes. '_She is not used to anyone appreciating her_,' he realized. '_She is used to being overlooked_.'

"Well regent. Provided you live through the next week I would be happy to work with you to get things rolling. There are a number of opportunities; some are available immediately; some will need some massaging to present themselves."

Eric found himself smiling more broadly. '_So, brilliant mind and a sharp sense of humor. Interesting, indeed_.' Out loud Eric said, "Providing I remain among the walking dead I look forward to it." He waited for Sandy's smile to broaden before adding, "I am pleased that you have elected to stay here. I realize you could have returned to Las Vegas. I am honored."

Sandy nodded. "I think we can accomplish much, Eric." Eric realized it was the first time since her arrival that she had used his first name.

They both turned to watch Karin enter the office.

"Master, welcome home," Karin said. She inclined her head in a bow. Eric noticed she was not smiling.

During the time Eric had spent at Sanctum, Karin had felt a shadow of great happiness; almost like a dream. Over the years when she had experienced something like this; when Eric had allowed their bond to remain fully open, she had come to recognize it as things that either happened while Eric was far away or things that had happened while she was at rest. Now the contentment she had felt through their bond was laced with a different level of intensity. It made her feel like her nerves were singing.

Then something clicked in place for her. A memory. Sookie! This was about Sookie Stackhouse. Karin found herself growling. She spun on her heel and left the office. She needed to get away from prying eyes to sort this out.

Karin walked through the corridors and made her way outside. She ran through the fields until she found herself on a rise some distance from the house. As she turned she saw Eric drop from the sky to stand near her.

"Sookie?"

Eric gave Karin an appraising look. "You were always clever." Karin felt the bond between herself and Eric dampen. It wasn't gone but the sharpness of the emotions dulled.

Karin couldn't keep the anger from her face. "Why Eric? Why go down that rabbit hole again? She was almost the end of you. I know I asked you to be kind to her. That didn't mean taking her back into your bed. Didn't you tell me that you were done with her? Didn't you tell me you had learned your lesson?" Karin started pacing. "I can feel your distraction. You are not yourself."

"Enough," Eric told her. "Sookie and I are reconciled. She is mine and she will be your mistress." Eric found his earlier doubt reasserted itself. He ruthlessly shoved the doubt away and switched gears. "We have other concerns."

Karin dropped her eyes. She understood why Eric pulled back from her, but she felt like it was punishment for something that was not her fault. She schooled her face and then continued their conversation. "Like Felipe's reaction when you tell him that you failed to secure his telepath? You did fail, didn't you?" Karin felt her anger creeping up within her again. "Was that your plan all along? Did you always know that you would be placing yourself and all of us in danger?"

Eric shrugged. "I've texted De Castro. I've informed him that Sookie is not expected to return to Louisiana. I'm sure I'll be hearing from him soon."

Karin leaned forward. "Surely you know that you can expect retribution. But I said from the beginning I thought this was just another trap." Karin looked down as she considered her next words. When she raised her head again it was to say words that Eric could see were a struggle. "I respect your decisions Eric. I am yours to command. But what is your future with her? Has she agreed to be turned?"

Eric looked away. This was always the crux of the matter. Sookie was temporary. That he would risk his future and the future of his progeny for a being that was only a moment in their long lives would never make sense to a vampire. But Eric realized that his heart was no longer vampire. It was something other. He knew that for him life would no longer continue once Sookie Stackhouse was gone from it. He shook his head.

"It is unlikely. But that is not our immediate issue. The Summit is in two weeks. There are many details to be worked through. Felipe will want to present a strong and unified front. His territory expansion may look like a gain for the Clan on the surface but I can't imagine his fellow monarchs are comfortable. They must consider the possibility that Felipe will want to acquire their kingdoms as well."

Karin nodded. "Sandy and I have been working full time with the Los Angeles planning team. We've had to give lists and background information on who we are bringing. We've been uploading presentations for meetings to a cloud storage site. They have imposed a size limit on data so your communications team is restructuring a video we prepared that introduces the state and the opportunities it presents. You'll be chairing the New Ventures committee. Sandy and I have been working on your speaking notes. We were thinking the topic would be natural gas exploration as a forward-thinking investment."

Eric smiled, pushing comfort and pride toward his child. "Impressive. It will help to attract others to the state. I can't imagine that the contingent would be many beyond Sandy and the two of us. Who is left?"

Karin smiled wryly. "Not many. As you know there were no problems with the transition. We have had no rebellions or outward signs of disloyalty but the majority of those who were living here have chosen to leave for other territories." Karin sighed. "While there are rumors of your fairness the locals just don't know you. They are afraid of your reputation as a warrior."

Eric looked back toward the house. "No matter. We will build and vampire will come." They stood together companionably. Then Eric spoke again.

"I have been thinking about your suggestion that we use the media as a shield. It has merit. Before I left there were a number of humans expressing an interest in having me interviewed or having me talk on some show. Can you work with the media people and get that started?" Karin nodded. "This will present a challenge, but if it can be arranged I would like to bring national interest to the opening of the next Fangtasia. See if there may be an outlet or two that would like my personal tour and commentary for the event." Eric thought about it. "Oh, and contact the organizers. See if they would be willing for me to bring journalists and others into the Summit itself. Kind of a 'day in the life' piece."

Karin smiled. "You know you will quickly find their ways invasive."

Eric smiled back. "No doubt. But I suspect they will be less invasive than the sharp end of a stake."

Eric's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID. "De Castro." He jerked his chin toward the house. Karin turned and ran back across the fields. Eric could see her pulling her phone from her pocket. '_Perhaps my luck is returning_,' he thought.

Eric waited until the third ring, then answered his cell. "Northman."

"Please hold," said the pleasant voice and Eric found himself listening to the sound of Spanish guitar muzak. He tapped his foot, counting until he heard Felipe's voice.

**Las Vegas:**

Felipe stretched back, his robe falling open. For two days he had anticipated the Viking's call. His spies had reported Northman's arrival in Connecticut. The king was aware that he had gone to Sanctum and had not returned to his resting place. It was unlikely that the meeting with the Stackhouse woman had been unpleasant. He knew the hour Northman returned to Kent and the details of his transport to the waiting flight back to Oklahoma. He knew that he traveled alone. During that entire time he had had no word from Northman. '_Sloppy_,' he thought. '_Not like our Eric. Yes. The meeting must have been very cordial indeed_.' Felipe threw his head back and smiled so that his voice on the call would sound welcoming. "Eric! You still have your hands?"

Felipe could detect the slightest of hesitations. "Yes majesty. My apologies. I texted as soon as I rose this evening."

Felipe glanced at the clock. He didn't doubt Northman had contacted him soon after rising. But it was not the first thing he did. Not at all. Felipe made sure that his voice remained relaxed. No need for the Viking to know too much. Better to let him reveal himself. "How nice. And my telepath? Perhaps you decided to let me wait because you were entertaining her? I understand she is a passionate woman. I could imagine she is a pleasant bed fellow."

Eric made an effort to bring a smile to his own face as well. "I regret that my convincing seems to have proven wanting, majesty. As I stated in my message, Miss Stackhouse declined my offer. She remained at Sanctum. As your subject and regent I could not force the issue without creating problems that could reflect upon you."

Felipe hissed. It was important that the Viking think that he had been surprised. "How unfortunate for everyone. You are sure that you put your best effort into it, Eric? You know how important this was to all of us."

Felipe sensed no hesitation now. "I made every effort. I suggested a future together. I told her that her family and friends miss her. I underestimated how angry she was with me. She blames me for the shifter. She thinks that if I had not left her as I did she would not have married Merlotte."

Felipe weighed the words. It sounded plausible. And had the Viking returned to the Kent house every night instead of staying as a guest of Sanctum he might have even believed it. Felipe knew that the lady of Sanctum wouldn't allow a problem to remain under her roof with a guest, no matter what the history. '_So, Eric. you are willing to lie to me_,' Felipe thought. '_Now the game begins_.'

Felipe ended the call and asked that Horst join him. "Time to start planning for the Summit," he told his second when he arrived.

**Los Angeles:**

Pam felt like she was taking a victory lap. The venue they were opening on Figueroa Street was everything that epitomized west coast chic. The bar itself was long and low with retro fittings done in nickel and red enamel. Walls hosted banks of flat screens with video images that changed in synchrony with the music. The venue itself stretched up three levels with viewing platforms and a variety of seating areas that allowed parties a sense of privacy while still being tied into the action. Maxwell had told her that he thought the overall effect reminded him of Falling Water. Pam had come to understand that Max was an architecture enthusiast. He was particularly fond of the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and had a tendency to push designers to use certain elements that echoed the work of the man. Pam looked around again. If this was any indication, Pam thought she could find herself a fan as well.

There had been challenges in training the wait staff to navigate the steps required with multiple tiers. In the end they had decided to hire almost exclusively supes. Aside from having almost perfect equilibrium they had greater stamina. Word traveled and there was a definite buzz from the human population that looked forward to immersing itself in this 'other' world.

'_Yes_,' Pam thought. '_Maxwell Lee has outdone himself_.' The venue had been a joint venture. Pam had found the real estate but the rest had been all Max. The work with the architect and designer had gone quickly. Max had demonstrated that he could communicate concepts and both of the firms involved were broadly hinting at a larger partnership. The build-out had come in under budget. Since they were planning more west coast expansions, the contractor had been promised the exclusive if he could impress on this one. He had kept his word. The supplies and improvements were delivered as ordered and on time. Uniforms were inventoried. All key positions were filled including back-up. There had been a running conversation about whether to offer kitchen service. In the end they had agreed that in addition to extended hours and special club membership and privileges they would offer a kitchen concession. This would be made available on a rotating basis to new and upcoming eateries in the Los Angeles area. Aside from the fee that would be charged for the opportunity at exposure the other criteria for selection focused on the quality of fare. In order to be selected, the restaurant needed to demonstrate that its offerings would delight the palates of the rich and famous.

Pam had been spending most of her waking hours either in conversation with or meeting the Los Angeles Summit organizers. She found herself impressed with the professionalism of the staff. The venue selected for the conference, Mistral, was the latest acquisition by Robert, the California king. While Pam had met Robert in the past she didn't know him well. That was not unique; he was a self-acknowledged introvert. He preferred his books and music to public appearances. His talent appeared to lie in finding and hiring capable people who developed intense personal loyalties to him. There were those who said that it was impossible to find anyone who considered themselves his enemy. Pam wondered what a vampire with Robert's reputation thought of Felipe de Castro.

The Mistral was a total gut/rehab of an historic building located right off Los Angeles' financial center. It was short; only 6 stories. This was purposeful. After the incident in Rhodes most vampires preferred structures with fewer stories. It made rescue in the event of fire possible. The conference rooms within the facility were comfortable. Unlike most human conference centers, there had been an effort to ensure that meeting rooms were soundproofed. Rooms were light-tight. Elevators were oversized to accommodate travel coffins as needed. Of course each floor was also serviced by a freight elevator for that purpose. Concierge service was provided on every floor. There was a small restaurant on the first floor but it would have been considered undersized in any other place. Donors were available 24 hours a day and were secured through the national register.

Security was something new. Every guest was required to provide a retina scan to allow room access as well as access to meeting rooms. Scans were created as part of the check in procedure. It had been suggested that zip drives with scans be supplied for those arriving in day sleep, but the hotel had rejected this. Bags were tagged to individual owners. Everything coming in was examined. For those arriving during day hours this could be off-putting. A vampire's coffin was considered their intimate living space but any discomfort was weighed against the risks for them all. Everyone needed to present themselves to a member of the hotel staff within 24 hours and it was a system that was working at other hotels that specialized in vampire trade.

There were fewer protests these days. The zealots would always be there, but all in all vampires continued to find a way to integrate themselves into everyday society. Glamour was discouraged as a general rule. There was even talk of making the practice illegal. The idea that anyone could simply alter a human's memories had been a major impediment to building trust between the species. As vampires continued to mainstream the frequency of protest had slowed. There was even talk of a network television sitcom that would feature a vampire couple as part of the Fall line-up.

This was part of what had led to Los Angeles being selected as the venue for this Summit. Since Rhodes, Summits had been hosted in smaller cities. It was thought that this would ensure greater control. The compelling argument to move to a larger venue had been that if vampires were to gain a more general acceptance they could not appear to be hiding. There were two cities in the United States where tolerance was gauged to be highest – New York and Los Angeles. So, the decision was made to take the risk.

Pam was looking forward to the upcoming events. The kick off would be here at Fangtasia-LA. Felipe de Castro had specifically instructed that the event be vampire only. Pam would need to revisit that decision during her calls tonight. Many of those traveling here were bringing human companions or had humans, weres and others who traveled with them. And because Los Angeles was a town that was notoriously unable to hold a secret the news of the advance opening was already on the streets. Pam wondered how vampire hierarchy would be explained to humans. It seemed inevitable that this information would not stay hidden much longer. She wondered how her human business associates would take the news that she was a Sheriff in addition to a business woman. She smiled. She could see their faces were she to walk into a meeting complete with six shooter and a brass star. '_Good grief_,' she thought. '_I've clearly been on the road too long!_'

Pam grabbed the remote for the video screens. She had an hour or two before she needed to start the next rounds of conversations. She had time to catch up on the shows she'd been recording. '_What a wonderful thing this watch anywhere technology is_,' she thought. She logged into her account. While her watch list was coming up she reached behind a bar to grab a TruBlood. Once she had microwaved it she kicked back to watch the most recent episode of Doctor Phil.

As soon as the opening teaser started she found herself staring at multiple images of Bill Compton. She turned up the volume.

"…national sensation with his new book, Bonded by Desire. Bill Compton will be joining us to talk about his experience in mainstreaming in America. And we'll talk about that rumor about whether his book is based on a real life interspecies romance. So don't go away."

Pam felt an odd pull. She couldn't tell whether she was amused or appalled. Bill Compton? Best seller? There was something oddly out of joint in the universe. She wondered if Eric knew about this.


	22. Chapter 22 - Dead Reckoning

Chapter 22 – Dead Reckoning

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**: Thank you for everyone's feedback and comments. We are well into the third arc of this story – the scheming and plotting arc. All the storylines are pulling towards each other. This is also a glimpse at Compton's novel, thanks to Breathesgirl! Love how your mind works!

**NOTE**: When all else fails, dead reckoning can work. It's an educated 'hail Mary' pass in the sailing world. You pretty much look, point the bow in the general direction and steer the boat.

**Lake Aloma:**

Karin stood to one side enjoying Eric's growing sense of unease. On the surface he appeared every bit the consummate charmer. All the irritability was below the surface and flowing through their maker's bond. "_Be careful what you wish for_," she thought.

Eric was in his fourth suit of the evening. He was being artfully posed on a large chair in the former throne room. (The large scale of the room had been explained to the humans as a private reception and ball room). The photo crew had been busy for over two hours. There were provocatively dressed models in faux office wear leaning over him with steno pads and tablets. One stood at his shoulder offering him what appeared to be a mug of warmed blood. He could hear his new publicist, Twy ranting at the shoot director. "I can't understand what you don't get about warming up the lighting. We all know he's a vampire. You don't need to make him look dead; he is dead. Get some color on those fucking lights so people can see the real Eric; the hot Eric." She turned on her heel and held her open hand behind her. Her assistant Chloe made sure that a coffee was in that hand in under 10 seconds. Eric now knew that there were humans that were just as scary as vampires; maybe more scary.

Eric had gained public notice with an interview he had given before he headed to Connecticut. When Eric had agreed to the idea of hiding in the glare of lights and cameras Karin had called Pam for a suggestion and within an hour she had been patched through to Twy ('_pronounced 'Twee' darling_'). Twy had a reputation as being one of the best publicists in her field. She was based in New York City and was every inch what you'd expect. Pam Ravenscroft's name had garnered the return phone call, but Eric Northman's name had secured the immediate acceptance of the assignment. As Karin later told Eric, "I'm not really sure who hired who." Eric was sure Twy was costing a lot.

Eric rose that night to find that the palace had been invaded. Twy and her entourage were pure energy. She was stick thin and close to 6 feet and accentuated that fact with nose bleed stilettos and piled high hair. She ran her perfectly manicured nails over his chest and shoulder and then pushed. She turned to the slight woman behind her and started barking orders. Eric was so startled he hissed. The nasal slightly bored drawl stopped and Twy fixed him with a steely stare and a slight sneer.

"I take it you want my help, Mr. Northman. You asked for me because I am the best. From what I gather from your staff I have less than two weeks to turn you from a one hit wonder into a national sensation. If you're not on board say it now. " The entourage had immediately stopped their various activities and all fixed him with a stare. Eric felt like he had stumbled into a pack of hyenas and that he might be playing the part of prey.

Karin had walked in to hear the publicist's declaration. She quickly glided forward, positioned herself between Eric and Twy and bowed. "You must be Twy. We are honored that you were willing to come on such short notice. Of course we will give you our cooperation. Pam speaks so highly of you. She tells me you are the miracle worker we need."

Eric could barely control his laughter. He had never heard Karin make the effort to be polite, particularly to someone who was a virtual stranger. Eric retracted his fangs and bowed as well. The stick woman looked slightly mollified. She gave Eric one more look; a look that said 'you're on thin ice,' and gestured to her shadow. She resumed barking her orders like there had been no interruption.

Over the next two days Eric watched Twy take on a variety of roles. She was alternately a bitch (her current mode), a mother, a seductress or a shark swimming among small fish. When she had finally rubbed Karin the wrong way long enough that the blond vampire's fangs had descended and Eric thought he would have to intervene, Twy had taken one look, laughed and said, "Oh damn! I like you. You have balls!" and proceeded to ignore her.

Eric was reminded of the unpleasant experience of walking in a cloud of annoying gnats. Aside from Twy and her constant shadow Chloe there was the stylist, the advance person and the driver. There was also the personal photographer who was showing up for a couple of hours a day to grab informal shots of Eric 'at home', the biographer who was assembling a largely fictional version of Eric's life story and the young woman whose sole function appeared to be tweeting or otherwise posting information about him.

Twy had wanted to bring on a bodyguard but Karin had nixed that suggestion. Before Twy dropped it she had made Karin prove that she was more dangerous than anyone Twy could produce. Karin had broken the arm of her adversary by way of demonstration. Twy had watched, shrugged and impassively agreed that Karin was qualified. She sniffed haughtily and worked out a compromise. Karin would provide security full time. Karin would hire and supervise additional security for any off site events. But, Karin had to promise that in addition to herself there would be no less than 2 obvious guards in full public view any time Eric was out and about. "After all," Twy had intoned, "important people have muscle. Unimportant people make do."

When she had been told about Eric's interest in providing a personally guided tour to the workings of vampire society during the upcoming Summit, Twy had gone into high gear. Watching her alternate between sweet talking and intimidating had been highly instructional. Eric prided himself on bringing the right leverage to any situation. Twy took it to a whole new level.

Her first order of business had been Eric. She approached his personal routine with the precision of a surgeon. She did not shy away from any of the grittier aspects of vampire reality. She imposed a strict schedule on his donors _('Are they feed and fucks or just feeds?_') and instituted a second level of screening to make sure that his personal habits would not be leaked beyond the doors. She had quizzed him on a variety of personal matters. She wanted information on girlfriends, ('_None? What are you? Gay?_'), personal friends, business associates and casual acquaintances. She interviewed Karin and then Pam. She gathered a dossier on how they had been turned and what they had been doing since then. She asked a number of questions about Freyda. When she heard the cover story about Freyda's death she looked right at Karin and said, "Well that's a load of bullshit. Let's just stick with the widower who's moving on angle."

Twy had staging people called in to modify Eric's public rooms to more informal, smaller areas to create a 'collaborative feel.' Then she arranged for the rooms to be part of a featured article in an upcoming edition of Architecture Digest.

She tried to talk Eric into changing his hairstyle for something shorter but he declined. Now every evening as he emerged from his shower his stylist was waiting to artfully arrange his hair in business or social or informal styles. He had also had his blond hair highlighted. Karin had snapped a photo and sent it to Pam. Within hours boxes of barrettes, bobby pins and hairbands started to arrive. They were all addressed to Lady Erica.

Twy waved the photographers back and advanced on Eric. "It looks like we're almost finished here. You can leave that suit on. You have a series of photo ops starting in about 1 hour downtown. Your driver has the addresses. I've already leaked your locations so you can expect maximum coverage." She stopped for a sip of her coffee. She got a look on her face like she had tasted something sour. Chloe appeared at her elbow and took the cup just before Twy dropped it. "So, you're sure you're not gay? I mean it would be fine if you were. "Eric shook his head. "Fine. Whatever. Your escort for this evening will be waiting for you in the car."

'Escort?" Eric automatically felt for Sookie. He could feel her steady hum. "I have Karin. I don't need escorts."

The look on Twy's face changed from bored to viper in a flash. "I know that you think you're all that and you do present a nice package. But successful businessmen attract beautiful women. I've gone to a lot of trouble to arrange just the right level of model to accompany you tonight. I can't get A list yet. Hell, I can barely get B list and I had to call in favors. So you will be a good boy, drape yourself like you give a shit and smile nice and wide." Eric could feel his anger rising. "And no fangs unless you flash them in an interested way at your date." The low-burning rage was starting to progress from simmer to low boil.

Eric could sense Karin's rising alarm when he suddenly felt as though a thread inside him had tugged and then been pressed down hard. He actually fell back in the chair. He realized that something had changed with his connection with Sookie. Severed? No. It was there, but so faint now. He felt a moment of panic. Karin ran to him.

"Eric?"

Twy was continuing to talk as though nothing was out of the ordinary. She was telling him how Freyda certainly would not have wanted her widower to be all alone and successful businessmen did not step out on the town with their daughters ('_No offense, Karin but sex sells. You sure can't sell that whole maker/child thing. It sounds like incest and incest is public poison so don't even hint at it'_) She concluded with, "Your Summit is in less than a week. We need to build the right momentum walking into this." Then she fingertip waved and walked out in a cloud of perfume and lackeys.

Karin moved closer. "What is it?"

Eric looked at her and shook his head. "I can't feel her." Karin nodded.

"I'll call Sanctum. She may still be there. I'm sure it's nothing." Karin ran from the room. The driver appeared at the door.

"Mr. Northman? Are you ready?" Eric nodded. Throughout the evening he checked his phone. Cameras flashed. People were asking for autographs. He was aware of being shuttled from one club to the next but he was not focused on the activity. He kept probing the bond, assuring himself that she was still there even if muted. He posed with any number of people. His third stop he received a text from Karin. "Thalia has her. SS on plane to MS." Eric felt relief. Thalia was a friend. Still he couldn't escape a feeling of unease about this. He hoped that all was as it appeared.

The driver dropped him back at the palace around 2:30AM. Oklahoma was a conservative state when it came to serving alcohol. Clubs closed at 2AM. The girl that had been with him was dropped to another limo midway between town and the palace. She had made a number of sly comments and broad hints which Eric chose to ignore. Largely it had been professional; they smiled, he laughed and when they did make small talk it was about the weather or fashion. Eric found himself missing Pam again. He had found that the knowledge he had picked up from her about the various houses and style preferences allowed him to keep up his side of the conversation. He realized that he wasn't current but he knew enough about their history to keep it interesting.

Karin was awaiting him in the hall. She bowed slightly. "Good night?" Eric glanced around quickly. Karin grinned. "Mistress Twy has retired for the night along with her minions." In spite of himself Eric couldn't help the look of relief that flashed over his face.

"Anything more?" Karin knew he was asking about Sookie. She shook her head.

"We have no direct method of communication with the kings or their households. Any message will need to travel through two to three hands." Karin waited. Eric shook his head and turned to walk away. Karin found herself asking the question that she knew was I both their minds. "Eric? What reason would she have to alter the blood bond?"

Eric stopped. He did not turn around. "It is possible that Thalia initiated some action to mask my scent. It would be logical. "Karin didn't say anything further so Eric resumed walking. He wished that he knew; he wished that he trusted. But his uneasiness was growing.

The only person in the circus that was the Oklahoma court of Twy that had remained immune (and under immunity) had been Sandy. She made it clear that she wanted no part in the production Eric was creating. Under threat of death Sandy made clear that all meetings they held either together or with their business partners remained outside the activities Twy orchestrated. That meant shifting much of their work to later hours. Sandy's nose wrinkled as he walked into the offices.

"You smell like a flop house. Old body odor and stale beer. What happened to you?"

Eric shrugged, "Twy."

Sandy shook her head. "I understand what you're doing. I also understand why you're not sharing your motivations. But I can guess." Sandy flashed Eric one of her rare smiles. "You look like a pin-up boy toy. We'll have to come up with some Chippendales name for you."

Eric rolled his eyes but found himself smiling in return. "Please don't mention that to Karin or Pamela. I can imagine monogrammed towels and G-strings." Sandy motioned to the chair which Eric interpreted as her being willing to tolerate his smell. Eric found himself relaxing, truly relaxing for the first time that night. He let his head fall back. After a moment he asked, "Are you heading to Los Angeles soon?"

"Yes," she responded. "I'm here one more night. Annubis will transport me and I'll be in LA for preliminary talks and review of results." When she didn't say anything more Eric lifted his head to look at her.

"What is it?"

Sandy smiled. "Nothing. It's always hard to be away from Las Vegas for too long. The business end of the business moves along but it's not the same as being in the middle of it. I always feel like I'm missing something in translation."

Eric smiled his most charming smile. "Something's troubling you," he stated. Then he waited. Sandy was watching him. He could see her weighing her options. Then she chose to speak.

"It appears that Felipe is going to launch a new business venture. It will be some sort of mixed martial arts franchise."

Eric let his smile dampen. "Oh, I guess that means that you will be returning to Las Vegas then. I'll miss you." Eric was surprised to realize that he actually meant that.

Sandy's look was guarded. "I'm not sure," she said. "I found out about it through some paperwork that was sent to me. I wasn't involved."

Eric stilled. '_That isn't good_,' he thought. '_I wonder who is behind this_.' Then, just as quickly he thought, '_But this could be very good for me_.' He made sure he had held her gaze as he said, "I'm sure that they are just waiting for you to join them in LA. They probably want to run everything by you before any final decisions are made." Eric could see her shoulders slump. '_So_,' he thought, '_It's further than discussion and they left out their head of operations. Bad move, Felipe_!'

Eric rose then. "I do need a shower." He made sure that Sandy was looking directly at him as he told her, "I'm sure that there's an explanation. Felipe would need to be pretty stupid to try and put together anything without you. You have a rare gift for business. I am very grateful for all your help." And Eric bowed. He could see Sandy's look of surprise and then gratitude. He smiled at her then and left.

As he walked to his chambers he reflected that many things were coming together as he had hoped. But he couldn't escape a nagging at the edge of his thoughts. '_Sookie_.'

**Los Angeles:**

Pam was laughing so hard her sides were hurting. "I can't believe you didn't get me a snap when he opened the box. The logo read 'for the princess in all of us.'" Pam shifted. "The buttercup barrettes were my favorite. And the strawberries. I bet he looked real cute!"

Karin was laughing too. "What wasn't funny was the look on Twy's face when she saw them. I can't believe you're friends with her. All she needs is a whip and a cattle prod."

Pam wiped the tears from her eyes. "I think she has those in her trunk. Why don't you ask her to show you? I'm sure she'll send Chloe after them."

"Chloe! Does that girl have any backbone? If I were her I would wait until that bitch was sleeping and then smother her with her coffee cup."

Pam shook her head. "I can't explain it. I figure Chloe is secretly the Dom in their relationship and that the whole public thing is just cover." Pam pulled herself together. "Seriously, Twy is the best. No one else could have pulled this off. She had the Mistral people washing everything down twice for all the free advertising she's promised them. Even the conference people are bending rules for her. Every attendee got an email warning them about the media presence and inviting special requests. I've never seen anything like it."

"Well Pam, you are in LA. Isn't hype the air they breathe out there?" Karin shook her head. "Will the club be ready?"

"Wait until you see it! It's the best I've ever seen and I've seen a lot of clubs. We'll be hiring extra security to police the line every night. I've already had people texting me for advance tickets." Pam smiled. Felipe would have nothing to complain about. "And how are things there? I understand that Eric's going to be a real center of attention out here."

"There is a complication, sister." Pam felt the mirth drain from her.

"Complication? What kind of complication? I spoke with Eric yesterday and aside from sounding harried he said everything was going well."

Karin phrased carefully. "Did our maker feel distracted to you? A little off balance?"

Pam knew. "Sookie! Something happened when he went to see her!" Pam shook her head. "I knew it. It was charming when he was Sheriff and he ran Area 5. But now he could end up dead and all of us with him." Pam started drumming her fingers on the table in front of her. "He told me she turned him down; wouldn't be coming back to my territory. Was there more? I didn't feel any anger from him but it wouldn't be the first time he's muted our bond."

'You didn't feel anger because the reunion was just that." Karin waited.

"Oh fuck a zombie! Back to that?" Pam paused. She realized that she wasn't really upset about the prospect. "Did he look happy?"

"You mean did he have that _'I'm one fucked out tomcat'_ stagger? Yes. There was that. He's been pretty well blissed out since he arrived. Until tonight." Karin couldn't keep her mouth from turning down. "Apparently they exchanged blood. I think he's been keeping tabs on her through the tie. Then something happened. The tie muted or stopped; I can't really tell. Anyway he had me calling Sanctum to check on her. "

Pam interrupted. "Is she safe?"

Karin found herself irritated. "Yes, she's fine. Thalia was sent to fetch her to Mississippi. So we can figure more trouble to come." Karin took an unnecessary breath. "Pam, he was distracted; truly distracted. One minute he was arguing with Twy, and the next he was rolling with a program he didn't like because he was wasting all his brain cells thinking about her. It was worse than I've ever seen it. She is trouble and she is dangerous for Eric."

Pam could hear the anger in her sister's voice. "Karin, it is not our place to question Eric's affection for Sookie. You know what she has been to him. He would not have gone to the lengths he did if he was not serious. If there is danger it's because they aren't together."

"Pam, you aren't here. You don't see how he is. He has failed the king. Felipe will not take this lying down. Eric needs all his focus to find his way through this. You know our maker. He's pledged himself to that snake so he's going to honor his obligation. His pride won't allow him to do otherwise. But he is in danger. This human is a danger. He needs to be done with her."

"How can you say that?" Pam felt her own temper rising. "Sookie has gone through so much. She has been a friend. You weren't there when she and Eric planned Victor's ending. They are a formidable team. And they are good for each other in ways I can't even begin to describe. You would do best to work toward finding a way to help him bring her to his side and not be spending energy criticizing. He won't be changing his mind and if you are working against this thing you'll end up being a bigger danger than she is."

Karin's voice was cold. "I understand that Sookie suffered. Maybe I understand exactly how badly she suffered better than you do. And I pledge to you right now that one day that shifter will pay. But I would be a traitor to my maker if I didn't do everything in my power to persuade him to set her aside. She will be the death of him."

Pam found herself worried. She would need to talk with Eric when he arrived. "Sister, I beg of you to give yourself some time. We all feel the stress and this is not the best moment to be making these decisions. At least wait until the Summit when we can talk about this together."

Karin agreed. Pam considered that the time together at the Summit suddenly seemed less appealing than it had earlier this evening.

Karin hung up the phone. She looked out the window and thought over the conversation. It bothered her to be at odds with Pam. Sparring was one thing but this bordered on an actual fight and Karin found it disquieting. Her phone buzzed. It was a text from Pam.

"_Sisters are forever. I hate fighting with you. Maybe this peace offering will bring a smile to your face_."

Karin clicked on the link and found herself looking at a review of a book. "Fuck a zombie," she said and smiled slightly, thinking about what Pam would have said if she had heard. There was a picture of Bill Compton, but not Bill Compton. His hair was styled in bangs around his face. His fangs were just visible on his lip and he was smiling. His eyes had what was probably supposed to be some sort of sly look but it made him look slightly crazed. She flicked the screen down and found that there was a sample provided.

_**An exciting excerpt from Bonded by Desire...**_

'_The rain caressed her body as she worked her way towards where she knew he must be resting. As she stood there looking at the field of gravestones around her she could sense that he must be near. Her bosom heaved as she thought about how close she might have been to losing him forever. _

_Then, like an answer to her prayers a hand appeared. She was startled but she stood firm. _

_Shana watched as the sculpted body slowly emerged from the damp earth and felt her own body react to the sight before her. Shana's perfect breasts ached to feel his hands on her and she felt herself leaning forward, offering herself to him. Troy grasped her ankle, pulling himself further out of the muck and further cementing her to the spot. Shana's breath was coming in little pants; her eyes were flames of desire for the creature before her. _

'_Shanna!' he called. _

_She unbuttoned her dress. 'Come here my lover and drink from me. I am yours!' He rose then and grabbed her. They fell in a lover's embrace. She opened her legs and beckoned him forward. 'Take me, Troy! Claim me!'"_

Karin snorted. Who talked this way? She clicked off the screen. 'No wonder people don't take us seriously,' she thought, 'with jack asses like this around!'


	23. Chapter 23 - Running Before the Wind

Chapter 23 – Running before the Wind

**NOTE:** Thank you for all those who encourage me with their feedback. Your comments mean a great deal to me. Thank you Breathesgirl. My work is better because of you. Thank you.

Jackson:

Bartlett leaned back in his favorite chair and closed his eyes. There was still the better part of the evening ahead for both himself and Russell. While he was never truly tired nights like tonight did leave him feeling drained. The Amun Summit was still weeks away but the work of assembling their combined contingent, confirming meetings and negotiating agenda items was in full swing. Bartlett was grateful yet again that they had decided against hosting this year. That pleasure fell to Isaiah and Nashville. Although Isaiah wasn't officially king of Tennessee, the named king, Seth had effectively stopped functioning in that role. There was even a rumor that he might not appear for his own Summit. The most recent news from Michigan would probably cause Seth to back away from his obligations still further.

Seth was what Bartlett and Russell had begun referring to as a 'holdover.' These were vampires who were not adjusting well to the new, more public existence of vampires post-Revelation. It was tragic in some ways. These vampires could not shake their long years of conditioning. When offered the option they hid from the human world rather than embracing it. They found it difficult to enter into business with those that were not vampire. They faced challenges in doing simple things that were required to be able to function effectively; activities like attending social gatherings or sporting events. Sometimes the issue was poor reflex control. Other times it was a bone deep arrogant disregard for anything or anyone not vampire. In the end the outcome was the same. Holdovers ended up becoming increasingly alienated from both humans and those supernaturals that were able to mainstream.

In the case of Michigan's king alienation had turned to depression. When they received the news Russell and Bartlett realized it had been years since they had seen Michigan face to face. It was now clear that once he made sure that his successor was secure he had chosen to meet the sun.

Michigan's new king was a bit of a surprise. While his origins were in the old world, Rasul had most recently lived in their neck of the woods. Russell had actually met him when the new king was just a guard employed in Queen Sophie-Anne's court. After the takeover of Louisiana, Rasul had left the state and found residence in Michigan. It was now clear that the move had been the right one. From all reports Rasul's ascendency was viewed as a positive change by both his subjects and his nearest neighbors.

When Maude had called them with the news they had all three spent some time on the phone discussing the change and what is could signify. This was not the first of the appointed monarchs to abdicate a throne but the circumstances combined with what they were seeing coming from Tennessee, Wisconsin and others seemed to point to a worrying trend. Following their phone conversation they agreed that they should lobby to add an item to the agenda for the upcoming Summit to discuss how they would explain vampire hierarchy to humans. "After all, how long do you think we can keep our political structure secret?" Maude had pointed out. "You know there will be more publicity this year. When the cameras catch all that bowing and scraping someone is going to ask questions."

What they had not anticipated was the amount of pushback they received from the Summit organizers. Maude thought that Isaiah was leading the opposition to adding the agenda item although he did not declare himself. They had finally prevailed by threatening to call it from the floor. Were they to do that it would open the discussion to the general assembly and would almost ensure that the topic would flow from the convention rooms to the outside world. It had been a battle won, but the fallout had been that every other concession requested had met with resistance. '_Battle won, but war lost_,' Bartlett thought.

Russell entered the study. His face lit up in a smile as he walked over to kiss Bartlett's cheek. Bartlett sighed. "What's next?"

Russell ran his hand lightly over his mate's cheek then walked to the side table. He helped himself to a goblet of blood. He lifted the glass, offering and Bartlett nodded. "Cataliades is here. I've given him a brief overview of the discussion we had with Sookie but he has asked for a more in depth conversation with both of us. Oh," Russell handed Bartlett the glass, "you should also know he is claiming to be a guardian of sorts to our Miss Stackhouse."

'Guardian?" Bartlett took time to sip and savor the blood. "Is this the new blend? It's almost palatable." Russell nodded and settled in the other chair. "Can I ask a silly question? Who isn't this woman associated with?" Bartlett set the glass down. "Let me see if I have the whole playlist. Tell me when I forget something." He ticked each item off on a finger. "She's blood related to Prince Niall. She's the divorced wife of Eric Northman. Bill Compton shared the sheets with her. John Quinn still mentions her. She's a friend of the Long Tooth Pack. And now the demon lawyer? I can't tell if we won the lotto or just got handed a tiger by the tail." Russell smiled indulgently and shrugged. Bartlett's face settled into a more serious look. "Rusty, do you think our sponsoring her is really wise?"

Russell shrugged. "We have her. I don't think we can throw her back. Besides, I have a good feeling about this. You've talked with her. She's charming. Bubba dotes on her and Thalia? Well who knows what Thalia thinks but she's clearly protective of her. I think that this will all turn out well in the end. And if it doesn't it's not like she won't have people who will take her in. I just don't see any scenario where this plays against us."

Bartlett couldn't shake his concern. In his experience people with a great deal of drama swirling around them tended to attract more drama. "Of course I want this to go well and I really do think that she is a fine addition," he said. "So, when can we expect Mr. Cataliades?"

Russell lifted his eyebrows and smiled mischievously. "Up to you. I left him in the hallway getting to know our settee."

Bartlett rose. "Nice! He is important and you know it. Tweaking his nose doesn't serve any good purpose." He crossed to the doors, opened them and put on his best host face. "Desmond! Russell just told me you were here!" He waited for the rotund man to stand and bow. Then the king inclined his head in a sign of mutual respect. He gestured for the lawyer to precede him into the study. As he waved the man to the leather couch he pulled a face at Russell who grinned in return.

A plate of cookies and a carafe of coffee were ordered for the attorney. The kings asked after business and the demon's niece Diantha. Mr. Cataliades returned the courtesy by commenting on recent improvements made to the house and congratulating the kings on their recent acquisition of a trucking firm in the state. Russell spent some time explaining the advantages of using local transportation for moving the foodstuffs that were the backbone of the state economy. They talked about the demand for local agriculture overseas.

The kings felt flattered that the demon was so in tune with their interests. It made them feel more at ease in thinking about the business arrangement they required from the lawyer. When the conversation lulled, Bartlett opened, "Russell tells me you are in some way related to our dear Miss Stackhouse?"

Mr. Cataliades smiled; his cheeks making his round face appear even rounder. "You are probably aware that she is of the royal house of Brigant." When the kings nodded, the attorney continued. "Sookie is the granddaughter of Fintan, Prince Niall Brigant's son. Fintan was my best friend and I promised him before he passed that I would keep an eye on his family. In particular I was to watch over any of his issue that demonstrated that they carried the essential spark."

The demon's look turned less pleased and he looked down at the coffee cup he held. "Several years ago, before her marriage to Mr. Merlotte, Miss Stackhouse and I had a difficult conversation about how I viewed my obligation to her family. To be blunt, she expressed her discomfort with some aspects of my guardianship. I honored her wishes and I removed myself. That is a decision I have come to regret." He looked earnestly at the kings. "I should have realized that a young woman's hasty words can be just that. She clearly did need me and I feel I have failed her. I feel that failure most keenly. "

During this conversation Russell had felt his eyebrows creeping up his face. A word like 'guardianship' was a strong term and he had felt certain that the demon's claim was more one of formality. Now, hearing the relationship the attorney described he understood that the use of the word was appropriate. "Do you feel that Miss Stackhouse will feel differently about how things stand between you now?" Russell asked.

Mr. Cataliades nodded. "When you contacted me about drafting an employment contract between Miss Stackhouse and Amun Clan I was made aware of the magnitude of her change in circumstances. As I mentioned, I knew of her marriage to Sam Merlotte. I had hoped that that alliance would provide her both security and stability and I shifted my attention to other pursuits. Hearing she was here alerted me that my assumptions may have been in error. I have long been aware of her deep connection to her home ground; her land and her house. That is a fae trait. That she would be willing to leave that place signified something was very much amiss. I made inquiries. Dr. Ludwig was most informative. Of course Sookie's going to Sanctum answered a number of questions." The kings nodded. To have spent time at Sanctum in their world was an answer to questions that never had to be asked out loud. "For your willingness to offer her sponsorship I find myself in your debt." And the demon bowed again from the waist.

Russell waved his hand. "Not at all. I have been intrigued by our Miss Stackhouse since she broke into our house and managed to kill Lorena." Bartlett smiled and rolled his eyes a little. "Then when she risked herself to save so many of us in Rhodes she earned my gratitude and respect. She is a most enterprising woman. Very talented."

Mr. Cataliades smiled. "I quite agree. Most talented. I was hoping to have the opportunity to speak with her privately this evening?" Then the attorney smiled again. "With your permission, of course."

Bartlett waved his hand dismissively. "You certainly don't need or require our permission. We are happy to offer her a place to stay with us. You should be aware that we have suggested that she restrict her movements to the immediate premises for the moment. This suggestion has been explained to her as being entirely for her own protection but she is free to come and go as she wishes. We have been trying to determine whether there are any who pose an immediate danger to her…" He paused and looked at Mr. Cataliades. When there was no immediate reaction the king continued. "We do view her as an independent person and we intend to share responsibilities and accountability for her protection amongst all the monarchs of Amun Clan."

Mr. Cataliades nodded. "Ah yes. The contract. I have received the preliminary list of conditions. I will be working on a first draft." The demon drew a breath and laced his fingers across his stomach. "You need to be aware that I view Miss Stackhouse as my client. I would advise that you hire independent counsel to review the contract prior to any signing."

The kings nodded. Russell told him, "We have retained Simon Maimonides to review on behalf of the Clan. I believe you know him." Cataliades nodded.

"A worthy choice." He leaned forward, setting the coffee cup on the table. "There is something else. There exists a potential impediment that I will be discussing with Miss Stackhouse when I see her. Since it could affect your future plans and it will be common knowledge soon, I mention it now. King Felipe de Castro has filed a legal action against Amun Clan and particularly yourselves claiming that Miss Stackhouse is a declared asset of his kingdom and that as such she needs to be returned to him."

Bartlett hissed but Russell started laughing. "My dear Desmond! Surely you are joking? Sookie is a living, breathing sentient creature. She is not a vampire so I can't see how our rules would apply to her. Are you telling me that de Castro is really stupid enough to try and assert that she is some kind of property? In this day and age?"

Bartlett retracted his fangs. The stress of the day was clearly affecting him more than he had thought. He took an unnecessary breath and walked over to stand behind Russell's chair. He realized as he spoke that the disgust he felt was evident in the tone of his voice. "This may have flown three years ago, but now? If de Castro is attempting to treat her like she's some stolen vehicle and it becomes public – and how could it not? – it would damage our ability to work with any humans. Partners react poorly if they think they are not being recognized as having the same rights under the rules. And if he is trying to categorize her as some kind of slave we are opening the door to the kind of scrutiny that none of us would survive." Bartlett took another breath. "Surely he has someone competent to advise him. Doesn't Sandy Seacrest report to him? She has always understood the lay of the land. How could she have allowed him to do something so stupid?"

The lawyer smiled. "I agree that Ms. Seacrest has always demonstrated a prudent and measured approach to these matters. However this motion was filed subsequent to her assignment in Oklahoma. My contact in Nevada tells me she was not consulted." He paused, and then continued. "It would appear that her duties in aiding Regent Northman are considerable. It was suggested that she does not have time to be involved in the overall operations of the kingdom at the moment."

Russell glanced up at Bartlett. Bartlett shook his head. This was news to both of them. Russell smiled in an open and noncommittal way. "That would explain some things. I wonder if Ms. Seacrest has in some way found herself on the outside of the king's circle."

The lawyer shook his head. "I would not have any indication that she is out of favor. She did not express any particular concern or doubt when I saw both Miss Seacrest and Mr. Northman shortly after King de Castro appointed Mr. Northman regent in Oklahoma." Then he leaned back.

Bartlett picked up the conversation. "Oh, so you were in Oklahoma? How is Eric?"

Mr. Cataliades smiled and nodded. "He looked to be in fine spirits. Much improved from when I saw him prior to his leaving for Oklahoma. But, of course he no longer has his queen, Freyda."

Russell snorted. "I could certainly understand how the loss of that woman would make someone's existence easier. But then Northman does seem to have a way of losing his wives. One would suspect that he has no use for the comforts of a monogamous life."

The lawyer tilted his head. His response was measured. "I have never had the impression that Mr. Northman objected to monogamy or marriage. My observation has been that given the chance he would have remained pledged to his first wife." Since everyone was aware of the identity of his first wife there seemed nothing more to say.

Bartlett smiled and glanced down at Russell before speaking again. "Desmond, were you at our wedding in Rhodes? You know Eric Northman was our officiant? I will always remember that day and his performance with fondness. You know that he returned our pledging knife just before he left?" Bartlett placed his hand on Russell's shoulder. Russell covered Bartlett's hand with his own. "I really am most grateful. That knife has sentimental value for us. I love knowing it's here."

Mr. Cataliades nodded. "Mr. Northman is fortunate in his friends. Of course my personal ties to Miss Stackhouse precluded me from accepting employment with him when he offered it. It would be likely that I would have to recuse myself. Better to honor my primary commitment to Miss Stackhouse and allow Mr. Northman to seek counsel elsewhere."

It was Russell that picked up the clue. "So you would anticipate that there might be conflicting interests?"

Mr. Cataliades sighed. "Mr. Northman set her aside in a direct; one might say brutal manner. Of course there is an argument that his hand in this was forced but that does not change the outcome or his current allegiance to King de Castro. I anticipate representing Miss Stackhouse in any action that may be brought if she will accept my counsel. It is one of the matters I wish to discuss with her. Under no circumstances could I, in good conscience, find myself opposing her in any legal matter."

Bartlett suddenly remembered his conversation with Lydia from Sanctum. "Desmond, I know this is off topic but I am wondering if you might be able to help us with a related matter. You mentioned you have some history with the Fae. Is there a possibility that you still have connections? The reason I ask is because the lady of Sanctum asked us to try and arrange a trainer for Sookie."

Mr. Cataliades leaned forward, his eyes bright. "A fae trainer?" When Bartlett nodded the attorney smiled broadly. "I had hoped that Miss Stackhouse might manifest additional skills as time progressed. Her spark was always stronger than blood would suggest. I am happy to tell you that I have maintained contacts with that world. If Miss Stackhouse is agreeable I will make inquiries."

The group was interrupted by a knock on the door. The kings were reminded of a teleconference that was to start shortly. Bartlett sighed and said, "No rest for the weary."

Russell rose and then turned to the attorney. "Desmond, why don't you call Sookie and see if she's available? If she is feel free to use this or any other room on this floor for your conversation. Of course should Miss Stackhouse choose to invite you into her home that is entirely her prerogative. We consider the pool house as her ground and entirely at her disposal." Russell waved at the house phone. "Just push the button for Pool House. That will ring her. Please make yourself at home during your stay. Tell any of the servants if there is anything you need. I'm sure we'll see you later."

Russell winked at Bartlett as they left the study. "See, I managed to abandon him again. You'll just need to teach me better manners."

Bartlett smiled. "We'll see. I may be too tired to play naughty boy games by the time our meetings are over." Russell circled his arm around Bartlett's waist and they followed their business manager down the hall to their teleconference center.

Once the kings left the room the lawyer picked up the receiver. The telepath answered on the second ring.

"Is this Miss Stackhouse? It is I. Mr. Cataliades." He waited for her response, but there was none. He could hear her breathing. Finally he continued. "I understand this is a surprise."

There was a pause then, "Yes." The voice was hesitant; so different from the sassy, self-assured woman he had known.

"I am here in the main house."

"You're here?" The voice sounded even less sure; slightly panicked.

Mr. Cataliades attempted to put a note of warmth into his words. "I am hoping to see you, dear. There are things that we need to discuss." He waited again. Finally he just continued. "I would be very happy to see you again. It has been a long time. Too long. I have missed you. I am in the study on the main floor. Would you be able to come and see me?"

The attorney could hear her take a deep breath and let it out. "Yes."

"Take your time. I'll be here." Desmond wondered what she would look like.

Sookie hung up the phone. She sat down heavily in the chair and stared at her hands.

"You have a problem?" Sookie hadn't heard Thalia enter the room, but she was starting to get used to the vampire's ways.

Sookie bit her lips, took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face before looking up. "I guess you felt that through the blood, huh?"

Thalia narrowed her eyes. "I am not spying on you. You allow your emotions to rule you. You are distracting me. I don't understand why vampires would want this. It is most annoying."

Sookie felt unreasonably angry. "Well, you can just ignore it then. Eric seemed perfectly capable of turning off the bond between us. If you are so much older you can't tell me that you can't do the same thing."

Thalia hissed. "You do not appreciate what is done for you. I could have left you stinking of Northman. You might have found your reception here to be less pleasant."

Sookie found herself being out-glared. She looked away and said," You're right. I'm sorry. Thank you for sharing your blood. You did me a favor and I am grateful."

Thalia nodded and then crossed her arms. She jerked her chin at the phone. "Who was it?"

Sookie sighed. "A voice from the past. Mr. Cataliades."

"The demon lawyer?"

Sookie suddenly felt weary. "The same. I haven't heard from him in years. Really since before… you know.. before I married Sam." She finished in almost a whisper. She felt like just saying Sam's name might bring back that time and all the hurt that had gone with it. She could sense Thalia's eyes on her and she made herself meet the vampire's' eyes. "I guess I never thought I'd hear from him again. And now he's here. He wants to talk with me." Thalia waited, her expression guarded. Sookie swallowed. "I guess I should go over there and find out what he wants. Would you go with me?"

Thalia nodded. "I told you I would accompany you wherever you go." Thalia's expression almost softened. "You have a short memory telepath."

Sookie found herself smiling in spite of herself. She stood up on legs that felt a little shaky, pulled her shoulders back and headed toward the main house. Knowing that she had Thalia walking behind her as she made her way up the path made each step easier to take.

When Sookie entered the study Mr. Cataliades stood and bowed. He looked much the same as she remembered. She wondered if demons ever really aged or if they were immortal like vampires. When she smiled and bowed a little he stepped forward and before she knew it she found herself folded into a hug. Thalia hissed behind her but Sookie realized that she felt comforted. Her arms crept up and she found herself hugging the demon back. After a moment he seemed to remember himself and he disengaged and stepped back. Sookie felt her face flush. When he waved her toward a chair she accepted the offer and sank down. Thalia glided to stand behind her. Mr. Cataliades looked at the vampire, then nodded and sat down opposite Sookie.

"I am happy to find you here, Sookie. May I call you Sookie?" He looked at her expectantly. Sookie nodded. "Oh good. Then you must call me Desmond." The smile overtook his face as he said, "I am here to represent you in the matter of your employment contract."

Sookie found herself pleased by the prospect. "I have agreed to work for Amun Clan. I know you handled contracts for Eric in the past, and you have always tried to do well by me. Frankly I couldn't think of anyone else that I would trust with this." Sookie looked down at her hands. She thought through what she wanted to say next. "I know we didn't part on the best of terms…"

"Sookie! My dear Sookie. That was so long ago and so many things have changed. You are different. I can see that." Sookie felt herself flush. "You look more beautiful than you ever have. I am only sorry your grandfather couldn't see you now. He and your grandmother would have been very proud."

Sookie looked at him and smiled. "Thank you Mr. Cataliades."

The demon shook his head. "No, my dear. We have come too far for such formalities between us. Call me Desmond, please." Sookie smiled and nodded her head. Mr. Cataliades pulled forward a briefcase and withdrew a folder. He opened the folder and laid one copy of a contract in front of Sookie on the coffee table. He had another copy in his hand. "You will want to read through all the terms and conditions carefully. I am your attorney, Sookie and not representing Amun Clan. I want to be very clear about this." He waited for eye contact. When she nodded again he continued. "There are a number of standard clauses that one would expect in any consulting contract. You will be an independent consultant on an extended retainer with the clan. Your hourly rate and reasonable expenses are spelled out here." He flipped the pages to show Sookie the table with the figures.

Sookie's eyes grew wide. "That's a lot of money. Are you sure?"

The lawyer chuckled. "It is a little more than usual, but the service you offer is unique. Of course if you travel all expenses including a generous meal stipend would be added. You will have a wardrobe account including monies for hair, makeup and spa visits. You will be expected to pay the salary of your bodyguard and any additional staff from your fee. But if you travel the extra cost for your bodyguard; airfare, meals and such would be at the cost of your employer." Sookie felt her head spinning. Mr. Cataliades flipped another page.

"You will have first right of refusal for any additional protection offered you by any of the monarchs. You will have right of refusal for any assignments. Of course, it is agreed and understood that non-supernaturals that are caught out or otherwise found of wrongdoing by you will be turned over to the local authorities."

Sookie raised her hand. "Just non-supernaturals? What about weres or vampires?"

Mr. Cataliades tilted his head. "What did you have in mind?"

Sookie thought for a minute. "They should be turned over to the authority that has jurisdiction over them." Mr. Cataliades nodded and made a note. "And there's some other stuff that has to be there. First of all, no one gets to bite me."

The lawyer smiled and flipped a couple pages. "There is an entire section here that addresses the responsibilities of the Clan and each of the monarchs in their personal capacity in terms of protecting you and those you declare as being under your protection. I am asking that the monarchs are held responsible for not only their own actions but the actions of all under their rule. Each must agree to give you autonomy of body and decision. I also included a clause that denies any and all the right to turn you, even if you are mortally wounded without your express permission. Said permission must be given in the presence of a witness. The penalty for any violation is true death."

"Wow," Sookie looked impressed. "You think they'll agree?" The lawyer nodded.

"Now let's look at some of the other requirements. You are allowed to take assignments from other Clans or from other groups, but it is understood that the work of Amun Clan is your first priority." He paused and waited for her to nod approval. "Good. When there is a question or conflict within Amun Clan for your services, Kings Crowe and Edgington will be the arbiters. They are also understood to be your point of contact for the Clan."

Sookie put her hand up again. The attorney chuckled. "You can just ask questions, Sookie. You don't need my permission to speak."

Sookie smiled then. "Well okay. Look, I don't want to make trouble and I can see the Kings are pretty well joined at the hip. But any married couple is going to fight sometimes. And they won't always see eye to eye. I don't want to get caught between them. I don't much care how they choose, but I only want to have to ask one person; not have to chase around to get two to agree." Behind her Thalia snorted.

Mr. Cataliades beamed broadly. "A very wise observation. I will ask for that change." He made another note. "There will be a confidentiality clause. You will be expected to keep Clan business within the Clan. If you do know of a circumstance that could give rise to concerns about your ability to respect Clan secrets and affiliations you will need to divulge it." The attorney saw Sookie's eyebrows rise. He also noticed that Thalia shifted behind her. "Is there something that you know of that could create some question?" He looked from one to the other.

Sookie bit her lip and squeezed her hands together. "Well, there is something that could come up that might look odd." She sat up and turned to look at Thalia. The vampire looked back but gave no indication as to whether she had a preference or suggestion. Sookie turned back to the attorney. "I expect that I will be seeing Eric Northman." Although she maintained eye contact Sookie's voice did not sound strong.

Mr. Cataliades took a breath and then closed his eyes. His lips pursed as though he was considering something. Then he opened his eyes and his look at Sookie was both warm and knowing. "Ah, I see. I am your attorney, Sookie. I also consider myself your guardian. Your secret is safe with me."

"Did you go take a peek in my head?" she asked.

The attorney nodded. "Sometimes it is better than saying things out loud."

Sookie's first instinct was to be angry. Then she remembered the conversation she had with Lydia; the one where Lydia asked if her life would have been different if she had gone ahead and read Sam's thoughts instead of worrying about what was polite or rude. She found that she didn't mind it as much as she had thought. She nodded. "It's okay. So you understand?"

He smiled. "Perfectly. And I am hopeful that everything works out as you both wish." He looked thoughtful. "Of course this could be seen as a potential conflict or at the least appear to be something it is not. With your permission I will discuss it with whichever of the kings becomes the designee."

Sookie wasn't happy. She half expected Thalia to add something. Finally Sookie nodded. She agreed to take the contract and read it through. She would make notes and they could discuss the terms further tomorrow.

"There is another matter I need to discuss with you," Mr. Cataliades said. He waited until the telepath had a few sips of coffee and settled back. "King Felipe de Castro has filed a formal lawsuit with Narayana Clan. He is making a claim against Amun Clan alleging that you, as an asset of his kingdom have been stolen. He is suing for your return."

Sookie suddenly felt unsure but behind her Thalia laughed. "Felipe has lost his mind," the vampire said.

Mr. Cataliades likewise smiled. "Yes, it does seem to be a foolish notion on his part. I will be filing for summary dismissal in Los Angeles."

"I just don't understand," Sookie said. "I never swore loyalty to Felipe. In fact he promised to protect me – not the other way around. Can he do this?"

"He is basing his claim on the contract that was negotiated between Mr. Northman and Freyda. In that contract you were treated as an asset that was provided protection in exchange for other consideration. At the time it was a wise move on the part of Mr. Northman. However it did open the door to this recognition as something other than an independent person." Mr. Cataliades shrugged. "Of course with Freyda dead the contract is null and void. I'm not sure what argument his majesty feels would prevail under the current circumstances."

Sookie felt nervous. Behind her Thalia could feel the woman's nervousness. "I wouldn't worry about it breather," Thalia said to no one in particular. "If it looks like the king is going to become too much of a problem I'll just end him." Sookie drew in a shocked breath but still found that she felt oddly comforted by the vampire's words. She half smiled and then looked back at the attorney.

"Well, Desmond," she said, "I find I have a favor to ask." She picked at the leg of her pants. "I want a divorce. Do you think you can do that?"

The attorney laughed and rubbed his hands together. "My dear Sookie, I am not surprised. I do believe I can help you. I am somewhat familiar with Louisiana law but would need to look into the particulars. I will do some research and then we can talk about what needs to be done."

Sookie smiled and picked up her coffee cup. She noticed her hand was shaking. She giggled nervously. "Boy, guess it's been a long day, huh?" The attorney beamed and nodded. "So tell me about DIantha. How is she doing?"

Mr. Cataliades settled back and told her about Diantha's new job. Even though he was her uncle, Mr. Cataliades now had to wait in line to hire her as did everyone else. Diantha was attached to the vampire high council and their wishes were now her top priority. Sookie wasn't entirely sure what the purpose of a vampire high council might be but she felt too tired to ask. She figured she would find out at some point.

Thalia moved behind her. "It is time for us to return. You should continue your business tomorrow." Sookie smiled and looked at Thalia gratefully.

"Yes, you're right. Desmond, if you would excuse us?" The attorney rose and bowed.

"No need to apologize. I will be at your disposal any time tomorrow. "Although," and the demon looked apologetic, "there is one more thing." Sookie bit her lip a little but squared her shoulders and smiled. "The kings have asked me to inquire about a fae trainer for you. This was a request that was made by the lady of Sanctum. I have agreed to do this, but I wished you to know." Sookie felt overwhelmed, and she pasted a Crazy Sookie smile on her face. Mr. Cataliades nodded and stepped back. "When you are ready just send for me." He looked at her meaningfully. She knew that he did not like to acknowledge his telepathy verbally but she knew what he meant.

Sookie and Thalia left the main house to head back to the pool house. As they walked along the path they saw Bill Compton. He had obviously been waiting for them.

Sookie stopped and Bill walked up to them. "Sookie! I have just returned and I was hoping I would see you." He smiled and took her hand. "You look tired dear heart." Thalia made a noise behind her. Sookie took her hand back but softened the move with a smile.

"Welcome back. We were just headed back to my house. Would you like a blood?" Sookie noticed that Bill had a bundle in his hand. She wondered if he had picked up her mail in his travels. She walked ahead with Bill and Thalia following her.

Once inside she went straight to the kitchen and retrieved two bottles of blood. She heated and shook them and came back into the main room. Thalia stood in her usual place near the back wall. Sookie set her bottle on a bookcase near where she stood. She set Bill's on a napkin near the chair he had taken.

Sookie settled herself and smiled in her best party manner way. "So how are things going, Bill?"

Bill smiled. "So well. My book is now officially a bestseller. I don't know if you have had the opportunity to read it yet." He waited, his look expectant. Sookie shook her head and shrugged just a little. "Of course I don't mean to pressure you in any way." Then he just smiled and stared into her eyes. Sookie kept the smile in place but Bill's behavior was starting to make her uncomfortable. It was like he was waiting for her to do something and Sookie had the feeling that the something had to do with encouraging some sort of renewal of their relationship.

Sookie found herself looking away, then looked at the papers in Bill's lap. "Are those for me, Bill?" she asked.

"Oh I'm sorry," Bill smiled. "Of course! I brought these over. I thought you might be interested in the goings on you've been missing." He half stood and handed her the bundle. Sookie took a rubber band off and unrolled the material. The items on top were newspapers from Bon Temps. Sookie lifted each to see the dates and glance at the photos. There were over two months' worth of her local weekly paper and Sookie found she was grateful. Under that there were a couple letters and cards that Bill must have taken from her mailbox.

And then at the bottom was a newspaper from Oklahoma City with a large photograph of Eric Northman in some social setting. He had his arm around a lovely woman and she was smiling up at him. The caption identified him as the featured speaker at a charity event.

Bill looked at the photo and then at Sookie, his smile wide. "Sure didn't take Eric long to get over Freyda's death. But you know Eric. Always knows how to take care of himself. According to the article he's a real man about town now – out every night with a different girl. Won't be long and he'll be angling for a new even richer wife. Maybe he'll be shopping in Los Angeles." Bill shrugged and leaned over to put his hand on Sookie's knee. "You are so well quit of him sweetheart. He was never going to be anything more than heartache for you."

Sookie couldn't take her eyes off the photo. She heard her voice saying, "Bill, it's awful late for me. Can you show yourself out?" She felt like a terrible hostess but she just couldn't make her knees work to get out of the chair. She couldn't make her hands release the newspaper. She couldn't stop the pain that was starting in her chest and making her throat tight.

As soon as Bill shut the door Thalia was in front of her ripping the paper from her hands. "Does it take so little?" she hissed. "Does all it take with you is a few poisoned lies and a picture to make you forget everything you promised?" Sookie looked up at Thalia, tears on her cheeks. She tried to say something but found she couldn't . Sookie thought about Sanctum. She thought about Eric. She thought about all her promises to him and to herself. Then she thought of the picture. She thought about that time in Bon Temps when Pam and Eric had fought in her kitchen. She remembered how stupid she had felt when it turned out everyone knew about Eric's impending marriage but her.

Thalia ripped the newspaper in two. "So you haven't changed so much after all? After everything he did for you?"

Sookie found her anger. "How? How can I trust him? This wouldn't be the first time! He does do what he thinks he needs to do and I am always the last one to find out!"

Thalia hissed and bared her fangs. "How can you trust him? How can he trust you is the better question! When did you ever show him the respect due him as your mate? Do you know how many times he made excuses for you? How many times he explained away your lack of faith by calling you independent or a working woman? Everyone saw through it. It made him look weak. And still he stood by you." Thalia threw the paper shreds at Sookie. "You believe everyone but him. You are weak. You do not deserve him."

Sookie suddenly felt her anger disappear just as quickly as it had come. She looked at the fiery vampire and she felt ashamed. "You're right," she said softly. Then it was as though something clicked into place. "You are very fond of him, aren't you?"

Thalia looked at Sookie, her eyes level and her gaze direct. "I owe the North Man a great debt. "

Sookie took a deep breath and returned Thalia's look. "I owe you a great debt too. It was wrong of me to doubt him. You were right."

Thalia nodded. "I can feel your exhaustion. You are still recovering."

Sookie nodded. She stood up to walk to her room. She stopped when she was alongside Thalia and placed her hand on the vampire's shoulder. "Thank you."

Thalia nodded.


	24. Chapter 24 - Taken A-Back

Chapter 24 – Taken A-Back

**NOTE: **Thank you to those who have posting reviews and comments. It is helpful since many of you will point me to things that seem to need further explanation or would benefit by some mention. There are days I wonder what I was thinking to jump in with quite so many plotlines. Brain damage seems a likely explanation.

Thank you to Breathesgirl who continues to beta and push and suggest and make me laugh. You honor me.

**Los Angeles:**

Eric could see their destination long before the limousine pulled up to the curb. The spotlights swept the sky. Eric could smell the unique quality to the air that was so distinctly Los Angeles. He leaned back, turning the martini glass full of blood carefully in his fingers. The women who were hired to be his escorts sat on either side of him. One was spooling through her phone. The other was chatting with the television host who sat facing them. She was idly running her hand up and down his leg. When she started to creep closer to his crotch than his knee he captured her hand. She turned to him and he raised his eyebrows before raising her hand to his lips. He settled her hand on her own thigh and stared back out the window.

The trip to Los Angeles had been staged in two entirely separate travel groups. There was the advance group that had flown with Sandy Seacrest. The first contingent included writers, social media consultants and wranglers hired for the occasion. They had set up a 'command center' at the hotel across the street from Mistral. This was the group sending out press kits, assembling phone contact lists and both creating and fielding interview and appearance requests. Eric was committed to checking in with them at least twice a night for sessions where he would be placed in a room and subjected to a series of people who would be interviewing him either for television or news articles.

Eric had traveled with the second group. He had been relieved when he realized that he would be in his travel coffin for the actual transport to Los Angeles. It would be a welcome respite from the noise and whirl of activities. He couldn't imagine having to sit in the confined area of the main cabin with Twy and her posse. He had a moment when he wondered if she had realized the level of his discomfort and purposely timed things to be easy on him. Then he dismissed the idea.

As it was when Eric rose he automatically checked for Sookie. He realized time and distance were taking a toll on the tie between them. He could tell she continued but little else. He opened the coffin and found himself in an upgraded suite. He walked out of his bedroom into a combination seating area/conference room filled with people. Twy seemed to know everyone and Eric had quickly realized that the fewer questions he asked the easier things seemed to go. It ran against his nature to not be in control but if there was anything he had learned in his past years of servitude in Oklahoma it was the virtue of patience. Once he was appropriately dressed and had spent time with the stylist and the stylist's assistant he retreated back to his bedroom. Karin joined him there, her eyes hard. He found himself smiling at her sound of disgust. She dropped into a chair and immediately went into downtime. Eric could feel her anxiety and he quite agreed. Twy's contract would be at an end with the conclusion of the Summit and he was ready to return to a slower pace. There would continue to be a publicist but it was assumed that the laws of physics would apply; the motion that had been created with Twy's efforts would continue for some time to come without the additional time and energy that was being expended all around him at the moment.

Within 20 minutes there was a knock on the door and Chloe stuck her head inside without waiting for an invitation. "We have to get going. You have live televised interviews scheduled across the street and you'll need some makeup. Then we need to be ready to be in the limo by 11PM if we're going to arrive at Fangtasia-LA for the carpet walk. Twy asked that you try not to sit any more than required so your suit doesn't wrinkle," and Chloe was back out of the room leaving the door ajar.

Karin gave Eric a sour look. "When the contract is over I want to drain them both. You have any problem with that?" Eric raised an eyebrow then shrugged and headed toward the door.

"My guess is they'd be cheaper dead," he mumbled. He looked up to find Twy looking straight at him. She fixed him with a stink eye that made him wonder if she had vampire hearing.

"Let's roll, babies," she said and clapped her hands. Swarms of people headed out into the hallway. There were two brawny looking men at the door who fell in step behind Eric as he exited. Eric glanced at Karin who gave him a 'don't ask' look in return. The elevator was sent to the first floor with the first contingent. Eric waited for the second elevator. He was crowded inside with Karin, Twy, the bodyguards, Chloe and his personal photographer who had been taking pictures pretty much nonstop since Eric emerged from his bedroom.

The elevators opened to a lovely lobby. There were faces that Eric recognized but he found himself unable to stop and chat as the entire entourage swept him toward the front doors. Bellmen opened the double doors and Eric found himself on the street surrounded by flashing lights, microphones and screaming girls. He wondered what rock star or film celebrity was in town. Then he realized that they were chanting, "Eric! Eric! Eric!" They were holding up tee shirts with pictures of his face and waving posters at him. He could feel Karin's surprise and he glanced back at her. Then he saw Twy's look; she looked like the cat that swallowed the canary and swept her hand as if to say '_See? This is what you get when you have me_.' Twy jerked her chin at him and he stopped and turned to face the barricades. He took a bit of a breath then smiled his broadest smile and waved. The people behind the barricade seemed to surge forward and he found himself engulfed in a wave of sound. In all his days sitting on the throne at Fangtasia it had never occurred to him that a vampire could be anything but an oddity to humans. He realized now that there were other possibilities; public possibilities.

The group around him swept him across the street and through the doors. He was taken to a card-access floor and walked past people sporting press passes that were queued in the hallway. He was shown to a suite, settled on a couch and given a preliminary list of those who would be seeing him and the order in which they would be called.

Twy was by his side. "Do you need a donor now or will bottled blood do?"

Eric knew he was stressed. He needed to feed but he also needed to have full control of his instincts. He would need time to ensure that there were no unnecessary complications whether from accidentally inflicting pain on the donor or unintentional stains on his clothing. In other words he needed time that was not available. "Bottled. Royalty if they have it. Warm it first. Two bottles now and then keep a glass filled here for me." Twy jerked her chin toward Chloe who scrambled away.

Eric looked at Twy. She had barely made eye contact with him in the past 72 hours. Even now, the only two in the room, her attention was focused on the phone in her hand. Eric took a deep breath. "I want to thank you. I realize I am paying you and this is your job, but you do it very well. You have delivered everything you promised."

Twy's eyes traveled from the phone to his. "Does this mean you want to fuck me?" she asked. Based on her tone of voice she could just as well have asked him whether he preferred light or dark clothing.

Eric smiled automatically. "Why? Is that the kind of bonus you would prefer?"

Her eyes took on a predatory look and Eric had a brief uncomfortable moment. He had not thought that Twy might actually consider his offer. "Don't panic, Northman," she said. "I don't know who this person is that you're saving yourself for, but you're not exactly subtle." Eric felt himself relaxing in spite of himself.

"It would be best if others didn't have that impression," he told her.

"Don't sweat it. I've had years of reading people and it took me a while to piece it together. I don't think anyone else sees it. Just keep smiling at the eye candy I drape around you. Your secret's safe," she said.

There was a knock at the door signaling that interviews were about to start. As Twy headed to the door she said, "There is one thing. I can always do with introductions. It looks to me like there's big money to be made in your, shall we say 'community?' Why don't you recommend me to some of your friends?"

Eric smiled in return. "Yes, I can do that. I can even be enthusiastic about it."

Twy smiled back. "Don't go all mushy on me. Hard ass suits you better."

The round of interviews was grueling. Eric was shuttled back and forth between rooms. He found a rhythm in the questions and soon settled on rote answers. He even started playing his own game betting with Karin on how many questions each person would ask and whether the next person would repeat a particular question that had been asked earlier by another reporter.

Finally it was 10:30 and time to make their way down to the street to catch the limousine that would take them to opening night of Fangtasia-LA. Eric was to be shadowed by a photographer and writer from Vanity Fair magazine for the entire evening. He would also have a commentator from a popular evening entertainment show at his elbow for the first hour to work the red carpet welcoming and doing spot interviews with the evening's guests.

In the end Felipe had relented. The pre-opening party that was to have been vampire-only and for Summit attendees had been opened to others. With the decision made to allow human companions a host of Hollywood elite had found their way on to the list. In the end vampires proved to be as star struck as any other person and it now looked like the human to vampire ratio was nearly equal.

As the limo pulled up Eric realized he was seeing barricades holding back young people similar to those he had seen at the hotel. The people were yelling and holding up everything from photos to tee shirts to banners, all with his likeness. Karin looked at him and said, "Surreal." Eric nodded.

The door opened and his escorts were handed out. When he stood up the crowd started yelling. He found himself smiling and waving again. Pam and Maxwell came out of the club doors and walked toward him. His escorts were taken inside by some of Twy's army and his reunion with Pam was photographed from every angle. He ignored the flashing lights and hugged her close. Then he pulled back to kiss her forehead. "You are beautiful," he told her. "I am honored by you." She beamed up at him. Then Eric bowed to Maxwell. Maxwell bowed in return and caught himself before acknowledging Eric by his title.

Twy and the Vanity Fair team swung into action, arranging Eric with Karin and Pam for 'family' photos. Then they had photos with Maxwell in the line-up and then with just Pam and Max. The television show commentator motioned to Eric that they were ready. Eric fixed a smile on his face and walked over toward the lights and cameras.

"You look well," Pam told Karin. "I'm surprised you haven't hurt anyone."

Karin flashed her fangs. "No one is more surprised than me. The Summit is over in three days and so is this freak show. Not that I'm counting."

Pam put her hand on Karin's arm and motioned her toward the club. "Your hired help will stand with Eric. He wanted this. Let him have his moment of victory." Pam flashed a fangy smile and lifted an eyebrow.

"In other words, let him stew?" Karin's expression softened. "Works for me." She turned her head to include Maxwell in their conversation. "Come show me your club!"

Eric watched the three walk inside, abandoning him to the whirlwind around him. Twy became ringmaster indicating with a tilt of the head which of the arriving guests were to be corralled and herded toward the television crew and the circus continued.

Most of those brought over to the cameras were human and were recognizable for a variety of reasons. There were musicians and singers; actors and writers. Some were vampire and Eric made a point of introducing them using their businesses or their states to explain their relative importance. Eric was starting to relax and then Felipe de Castro arrived.

Twy had almost allowed the king to walk past but something made her jerk her chin and her minions moved to steer de Castro's party toward the camera crew. Eric's eyes had widened as he saw Horst move into a protective stance but then the moment had passed and Felipe had allowed himself to be maneuvered forward into the spotlight. "Northman," he had almost hissed.

Eric bowed deeply. The commentator had looked puzzled. Eric rose and smiled broadly, "This is Felipe de Castro, the renowned entertainment impresario," Eric told him. "Mr. de Castro has majority interest in a number of ventures including several casinos in Las Vegas. He is a person of great importance among vampires; a king among us you might say," and Eric had smiled.

The commentator held his microphone toward Felipe, "Does that mean that you have an interest in the Fangtasia franchise?"

Felipe smiled tightly. "Why yes, I do have an investment in Fangtasia and its partners. With this opening of our newest club I felt it important to come and help celebrate." The king turned his eyes toward Eric, "After all, living up to obligations and celebrating success is important."

The commentator smiled, "Sure is! Well, looks like you will have one big success on your hands tonight!"

"I would expect nothing less from the team of Ravenscroft and Lee. They know how I hate failure," and Felipe turned hard eyes on Eric. Then he turned back to the commentator, pulled his face into a smile and laughed. Behind him Horst laughed too. The overall effect was not friendly; it sounded ominous. The commentator looked startled. He started to look for the next guest but before he could move Felipe spoke again. "I would like to take this opportunity to introduce one of my newest partners." He signaled and a man Eric had never seen walked forward. "This is Sonny McMillan. He and Horst," Felipe waved at his second, "are launching a new Mixed Martial Arts franchise. They will be providing an evening of entertainment for the Summit attendees." Sonny seemed to be holding back but de Castro pulled him forward. The man seemed to glance at Eric nervously but after a moment he stepped forward. Eric could smell that the man was a shifter. He wasn't surprised based on what he had heard of the fighting franchise so far.

Sonny turned to the camera, smiled broadly and said, "Yup, not only a partner but I take my place in the ring. I promise my audiences some of the most exciting fighting they will ever see. It's everything you've come to expect with the very best of the sport, but with a supernatural twist."

The commentator leaned forward. "Can you give our audience a hint?"

"We can do better," Sonny announced. "We can give you and your audience ringside seats at our demo tomorrow night."

Eric found himself troubled. He didn't recognize Sonny McMillan but there was something about him that was nagging at him. Horst, Sonny and Felipe all waved at the camera. Felipe grabbed Eric's arm and turned him away from the camera. "We'll be talking soon, Northman."

Eric nodded and bowed again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following night started with another round of interviews and photograph sessions. Once these were finished, Eric found himself dragged alongside the barricade to wave and sign autographs. After a half hour of 'working the line,' Twy allowed him to return to the Mistral and head toward the central ballroom which was set up like an exhibitor's hall. With a small entourage of media personalities in tow, Eric gave a guided tour and provided introductions to many of those manning the tables. As he turned a corner he came face to face with Bill Compton. Bill was sitting at a table signing copies of his book for a line of mostly women. He would smile, say a few words and then sign the book. Eric heard one of the journalists behind him say, "Look, it's the bestselling author. I didn't know he'd be here!" Eric turned to find the one who had spoken.

"Best-selling author?"

"Oh yes," another of the journalists volunteered. "His new book was at number five this morning. Really climbing the charts."

Just then Bill raised his head and stilled when he saw the Viking.

"Eric," he stated. He had a smile on his face but he didn't look happy.

"Compton. I didn't expect to see you here. Long way from Bon Temps."

Bill's smile turned a little less strained. "Oh, you haven't heard. I am in Jackson now. I'm a guest of Russell Edgington."

Eric's eyes narrowed. "Jackson?" The question was on the tip of his tongue but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Then Bill spoke providing him the answer.

"Yes. With Sookie Stackhouse. You remember her?" and Bill's expression turned almost gloating. "I never thought I'd see her again and now I see her every day. It's like it was always meant to be."

Eric could feel jealousy stirring deep within him. It was like a dark and living thing and he could feel it gathering strength. His hands ached to tear Compton to pieces. As he felt his jaw clench he heard one of the journalists say, 'Sookie Stackhouse? Like S.S.? Like your dedication?"

Bill smiled directly at Eric as he answered. "Just a coincidence."

Eric smiled in return, his fangs protruding slightly. "Good luck Compton." He swept forward forgetting the journalists in his wake. Most of them rushed to catch up with the vampire, but one of them turned to a nearby exhibitor.

"Any idea what that was about?"

The vampire smiled at him. "What, you mean Compton and the Viking?" When the journalist nodded the vampire's fangs descended, clearly pleased to share a bit of gossip. "Norseman doesn't like Compton talking about his former wife. Vampires are possessive. The relationship between Eric and the Stackhouse woman was notorious. The rumor I heard is that Compton had her first."

The journalist was puzzled. "Former wife? I thought the former wife was Freyda something."

The vampire shook his head and said, "No, not the vampire wife. The human wife Northman divorced. Sookie Stackhouse." The vampire excused himself then and left before he could be asked any more questions.

When the journalist looked around he realized he'd lost sight of the Northman group. He pushed his way to the back of the hall and placed a call to his research team. He asked for any and all information on William Compton, Eric Northman and a human woman named Sookie Stackhouse in or around Jackson or Bon Temps. When he hung up the phone he made his way back to the Compton table and picked up a book. He walked to the back of the line and while he waited to meet the author he started to read.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The business meetings started shortly after midnight. The first night of the Summit was dedicated to more general business usually followed by kingdom audiences. Eric was slated to start his new position chairing the New Ventures Committee and would open with his presentation on natural oil exploration investment opportunities. He had expanded his notes to include options for co-support of renewable energy storage and transmission. The room had been equipped with extra chairs and the wall that was at the open end of the table's U formation was crowded with a bank of cameras.

Eric realized the media blitz was damaging his relationship with his Narayana peers. Some found themselves intrigued by the instant celebrity but most were offended. Everything about the exposure felt invasive and dangerous to the vampires. Eric had been on the receiving end of a number of comments that let him know that he was losing support for his initiatives. He was starting to realize that the protection that being in the public eye provided came at a high price. While officially Mistral was happy with the extra publicity and had shown their appreciation by upgrading the amenities offered him, the king and owner of the hotel, Robert of California, had announced that he would not be attending this Summit and had authorized his representatives to conduct business in his name. It wasn't a surprise based on Robert's reputation for privacy but it did put a damper on the Summit as an opportunity for the entire Clan to come together. Karin let Eric know that the undercurrent of commentary was that attendees were blaming Eric.

The meeting started well. Eric stood up and walked through his slides. He felt that the argument he made for capital investment was persuasive. However, as he read the body language of those at the table he could see that there would be few willing to join him. The applause he received was polite but little more.

He gritted his teeth into a smile and called on the next presenter. During the next hour there were pitches for a new all-night dry cleaning franchise and a new manufacturer of travel coffins. Both garnered some attention. Then Felipe de Castro swept into the room. Horst, Sonny and Red Rita were at his shoulders. Sandy Seacrest was the last to walk in. Eric could tell by the set of her shoulders that all was not well.

Felipe himself stepped forward and described their new entertainment offering. They were calling it Flying Tigers and described it as an all comers fight venue that combined the strategy of mixed martial arts with the natural advantages of supernatural abilities. There would be division by weight. There would be match-ups based on abilities and species, however, combatants could earn more points in the standings by taking on other species to prove themselves as the top of the food chain.

Of course there would be rules about extreme damage and mortal combat would not be sanctioned. To be declared the franchise champion a fighter would need to win against Sonny McMillan. "And Sonny will prove his ability to all of you tonight with an exhibition match we are hosting. We are handing out passes and directions at our table on the floor. Those with Summit badges are guaranteed admittance. Others will be on a first come first served basis." Felipe smiled, nodded toward Eric and motioned to his group that they were leaving.

As the king walked forward Eric saw Twy intercept him. He could hear her congratulating de Castro on his remarks and mention his performance at Fangtasia–LA the previous night. Felipe gave her a cold look, turned on his heel and left. Horst flashed his fangs at her. Eric saw the look that settled on Twy's face. "Wouldn't want to be the king," Eric thought.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Felipe stood at the windows staring across the street at the next building. While the accommodations were pleasant he missed the sweeping vistas one got on higher floors. This new trend toward squat buildings smacked of cowardice. It rankled him.

Behind him Sandy Seacrest was droning on and on. She was angry about being cut out of the decision to form and fund Flying Tigers. She was quoting from one of her interminable reports predicting her usual doom and gloom. '_Horst was right_,' he thought. '_She really is most tiresome_.'

He turned and cut her off. "So let me see if I have this right. I made a mistake. Even though I have new businesses opening up all over the country and my casinos are filled with people I am losing money. You are smarter than me and I should only listen to you. Did I miss anything?"

He could tell that his remarks made an impression. Sandy actually stepped back. There was a look of shock on her face and she quickly bowed low. '_About time_,' he thought. '_If you ever brought me good news I wouldn't dread seeing you so much_.' She started apologizing, her words stuttering. Felipe felt an odd mix of disgust and power. He realized he liked seeing her grovel. He turned his head to see Horst's reaction. As expected his second was grinning, his fangs descended. Horst had been right about this too. When confronted she folded like a coward.

"Get up, Sandy. Go sit down." Sandy moved quickly to do as he asked. She seated herself toward the back of the room. She kept her eyes lowered. Felipe turned next to Red Rita. "And you," he snarled. "You have likewise given me nothing but a litany of failures. I give you two states and you manage to bungle everything." Red Rita likewise bowed. Unlike Sandy Rita looked like she wanted to bolt toward the door. Horst had suggested that a show of savagery would motivate the right behavior. Felipe had decided to indulge him. Felipe nodded toward Horst and in an instant Rita was dead; staked where she stood.

Felipe turned back toward the windows. He could see Horst gesturing in the window's reflection. Two vampire guards moved into the room and started shuffling things around in order to clean up the mess. "Northman and my sheriffs are due shortly. It would be better if there were some traces left." He turned to meet Horst's eyes again. "And make sure that Northman leaves his television leeches outside."

Just as the last of the bags were being taken out through the connecting room there was a knock on the door. Horst opened it and Felipe turned and watched with pleasure as he saw each of those sworn to lead his areas register the scent of recent death. '_Good, let them wonder. Let them consider who might be next_.' Felipe's eyes wandered to Eric Northman. He was certain the Viking was biding his time, waiting for the chance to take a stab at his king. '_A reputation is only as good as the next act_,' the king considered.

Horst gestured to the vassals of Nevada to take a seat on the chairs and sofas. There would be some of the gathering left standing. That was by design. Eric caught Pam's eye and nodded as she found a seat. Then he moved to stand near Sandy Seacrest. He caught her eye and raised his eyebrows. '_Rita_,' she mouthed.

Eric turned and made a point of keeping his head slightly lowered. It would appear his king was in a killing mood.

Felipe rocked back on his heels. "It is good to see all my loyal subjects here so anxious to do the work of their king." He took the time to look in the eyes of each of them. He looked down and purposely toed a piece of clothing that was missed; Rita's clothing. "It is good because we all know the penalty that is faced by those who are not properly loyal; those whose motivation is weak." He walked over to the Viking and looked directly at him. "Rita was weak. She was my regent and she failed me. Her motivation was not strong. And she has paid the price."

Felipe allowed the tension to grow before turning and walking back toward the window. "A regent is a position of great trust. It presents great rewards because it carries great risk." He looked at Eric again. "Wouldn't you agree, Northman?"

There was no doubt he had the Viking's attention. Pam Ravenscroft was seated to his right and he heard her hiss. He swung his head and heard Northman call out, "Pam!" He saw her drop her head adopting a more subservient posture.

Felipe allowed a smile to play across his lips. "That is why I have chosen one who has proven his loyalty again and again to be the new regent of Arkansas and Louisiana. Horst has been my loyal right hand. He has given me counsel and stood beside me. It is only right that he should be my regent." Horst stepped forward and bowed his head low to his king. Felipe laid his hand on Horst's shoulder. "You have proven yourself in every way. I expect that you will pay close attention to my holdings."

"I am honored, majesty," Horst said. When he straightened he turned expectantly. Pam rose with the other sheriffs to pledge support to Horst. When it was her turn to kneel Felipe stepped forward.

"Ah Pam! You have proven yourself such a wonderful asset. Your work in expanding Fangtasia has been outstanding. The opening of your club here has been the talk of the Summit." Then de Castro looked thoughtful and tapped his chin. "Of course, I expect that all this promotion has been at the expense of your sheriff's duties."

Horst smiled at his king. "I will make a thorough accounting of Area 5 my first priority, majesty," Horst said.

De Castro grinned. "Of course, of course! But I can't escape the idea that our Ms. Ravenscroft is meant for bigger things, Horst. Perhaps a more strategic role? A role that can enhance our standing with other states?"

Horst smiled. "Perhaps a marriage? I understand that Alabama has indicated some interest in a consort. It would be a worthy match and could bring several strategic advantages."

Felipe could see the anger playing out across Pam's face. '_Make a move_,' he thought. '_Come at me and I will end you. That will be sufficient punishment for Northman_.' But somehow she managed to bow more deeply and keep her eyes and emotions in check. "Brilliant idea, Horst. Perhaps you should attend the Amun Summit. Alabama will be there. You can start inquiries."

Horst smiled. He flicked his fingers indicating that Pam should rise.

Felipe looked around. "I expect you all to attend this evening's performance of Flying Tigers. I expect you to be enthusiastic. We are looking for additional investors. Work the room." Then he turned and looked specifically at Eric. "I also have a matter coming before the magister during tomorrow's Assizes session. I have filed a motion to have Sookie Stackhouse declared a stolen asset to the kingdom and am suing for her return. I expect each of you to attend and to work your contacts to garner support from the floor. "Felipe walked over to stand directly in front of Eric. "I know you will do your best to see that my motion succeeds, right Northman?"

Eric bowed his head.


	25. Chapter 25 - Bearing Away

Chapter 25- Bearing Away

NOTE: I hope you like the glimpses of Bill's book in this chapter. Thank Breathesgirl! I am encouraging her to think about making it a full fledged novel – it would be an absolute hoot. You can see that she has a deft touch with humor. My own thanks seem insufficient for the encouragement and support she's given. From the bottom of my heart.

Sookie peeked out the curtains for the fifth time that morning. Jason and Michele were supposed to be arriving any minute. They weren't bringing their kids but Sookie didn't mind. Although she was becoming comfortable with the compound and its personnel she still didn't think that it was really child friendly. For one thing, Thalia was resting in the next room. It wasn't like anyone could really wake a resting vampire, Sookie just worried that there could be a lot of questions that didn't need to be asked or answered if someone's small hands couldn't stay off the knob of the mystery door.

When the driveway was just as empty as the last time she looked she walked back and forth a couple of times. She shook her head at her own foolishness. '_Just like a kid wondering if we're there yet_,' she giggled to herself. She glanced over at the book Bill had left her, picked it up and wandered out to the enclosed porch. Sookie settled into one of the rocking chairs. '_Maybe I should read it. Not like I have many friends who write books_,' she thought. She studied the cover art. The brown haired vampire's shirt was open showing cut and well defined muscles. '_Sure don't look like Bill_,' she thought, giggling again. She flipped open the first pages and stared at the dedication. '_Still, it's nice that he dedicated it to me. He was always teasing about how much I liked romance novels_. _Now I have one that's got my name in it_. _Or at least my initials_.' Those happier, simpler days in Bon Temps sometimes seemed like a million years ago.

Sookie leaned back and thought about her phone call with Lydia earlier.

The night she'd asked Bill to leave; the night she'd seen the picture of Eric in Oklahoma, Sookie had lain in bed tossing and turning. She knew that Thalia was right. She needed to find her trust for Eric. But somehow her doubts kept creeping into her mind. She would think of the times Eric would ask her to be with him. Then she would think about how he had hidden Freyda from her. After a few hours Thalia had opened her door.

"You are making so much noise you are making me restless, human." Then Thalia had walked into the living room leaving the light to pour over Sookie's bed. Sookie had wrapped herself in her bathrobe and wandered out. She sat in one of the armchairs and Thalia sat down opposite her. Sookie raised her eyes to meet the vampire's unblinking ones. "You doubt him," Thalia said. "You doubt him because you doubt yourself. The steel you must find is within you but you are working against it. This is beyond me to repair."

Sookie found herself nodding. "I'm calling Lydia in the morning." Then Thalia had reached across and taken Sookie's hand. Sookie was startled and deeply touched. She bit her lip a little and found a smile. "And don't call me human!" Thalia had laughed then, a full throaty laugh. They sat together for a while longer and when Sookie had gone back to bed she had found a dreamless sleep.

Sookie and Lydia spent over two hours on the phone that first morning. They had talked for at least an hour every morning since. Sookie felt just hearing the healer's voice was bringing back all her progress and resolve. Lydia had told her that she would likely fight with trust issues her whole life. "Most of us find that we are disappointed at some time in our lives. It is the size of the betrayal and our ability to absorb it that dictates how long and how hard each struggle becomes." Lydia told her that Eric was probably not the root of Sookie's inability to trust. "I suspect you have observed how people say one thing and do another all your life. That fed you a constant stream of doubt about the people around you. But I think the good news is that you have also shown remarkable resiliency in how you have absorbed and handled it. Knowing this about yourself will help you to catch when it's happening and identify it instead of just reacting."

This morning they had been talking about Eric, "Tell me about the worst time you remember; a time when things were supposed to be good between you and your Viking but you found your trust was tested ," Lydia had instructed.

Sookie talked about the time during that last year they had been together; before The Time, when she had been summoned to Eric's house; the time of the murder. She told about how she had been feeling out of sorts and starting to doubt what was going on between Eric and herself. She told how she had started telling some people they were married but how she hadn't felt married in her heart. She told Lydia about the horrible scene she had walked in to find; how Eric's beautiful home was trashed. She talked about how heartsick she had felt when she walked into the bedroom, her bedroom, and found Eric with Kym. He had been out of it; drugged by fairy blood as it turned out. But the way he had tried to justify his actions; his taking blood from another when he knew she was coming to see him had hurt her deeply. Even now Sookie found that the memory of that night caused her heart to clench and her eyes to burn.

"Sookie, you knew he needed to feed, but you were rarely near him. How did you think he would eat? You know that vampires can supplement on synthetic blood but they can't survive without real blood."

"Of course!" Sookie had replied. "My head knows. My head trusts him. But my heart keeps wondering. I think of that woman and I start thinking about how he was feeding and whether he was getting other needs met too when I wasn't around." Sookie swallowed hard. "I know it's not a choice for him. I know it. But I can't help feeling like every time he touches some other woman it's a betrayal. And now that we're back together, but not really together and I see pictures of him with women or I think about how long it's been since I've seen him… I wonder. Who is he holding? Whose blood is he taking? Does he pretend it's me?"

That had been the low point.

Lydia pointed out that it appeared that Eric was still working the way he always had; he solved problems through his own channels, leaving Sookie in the dark. "If you need a more equal relationship and you need more communication then you need to tell him that. Don't assume he knows. He's a man and they are notoriously dim about these kinds of things." Sookie had found herself giggling but it was as though Lydia had read her mind.

"I would always tell Eric he was too high-handed. He just assumes he knows what's best for everyone!" Sookie had told the healer.

Lydia had become brusque then. "Sookie, you are making yourself miserable. If you want to find things to cry about that matter you should watch videos on world hunger and abused animals. You know in your heart that your Viking is doing everything he can think of to get back to you. Isn't his sense of honor what is keeping him in this situation? Why would you assume that he would be less honorable about you?" She had made Sookie acknowledge that she heard what Lydia was saying. Then Lydia had continued.

"I'm not saying that you have no right to some doubt. Under the circumstances and with your history you are having a perfectly understandable reaction. And Eric is not helping. You have been without any communication from him for some time. He should include you in plans that will affect you. You are not a child. But you will need to be the patient one. Sharing won't come easy for him. Vampires are secretive by nature. They have had to be in order to survive. But I don't believe your Eric would purposely keep you in the dark if he knew how it was bothering you." Sookie had felt encouraged. Lydia was saying the same things that Thalia was telling her, only in a more direct way.

"The most important thing you need to come to terms with is this; when the way is clear and Eric can offer you his hand again, what will you do? Will you continue to live apart or will you choose to stand by his side and share your lives? Because the choice you make dictates what you should or shouldn't be willing to accept in Eric's life."

Sookie asked Lydia a question she had been wondering. She didn't know if Lydia had the answer but she thought she might. "Do you think if I was with Eric; I mean really living with him. Do you think I'd be enough?"

"What do you mean? Enough of what?"

"Would he need to feed from others too. Would I be able to supply everything he needs?"

"I think so, but I'm not sure, Sookie," the healer told her. "Eric is very old; older than my Robert and I was more than enough for him. As vampires age they need less and less blood to sustain them. I doubt Eric needs more than a mouthful or two most days except when he's under periods of prolonged stress or he's been damaged."

Sookie thought about how pleasurable Eric could make his feeding. She also thought about how he had the ability to make it painful. She knew that if she was to really make this decision; to be wholly his, she would need to come to terms with this part of what their lives together would be.

Each day she felt stronger in her resolve. She had declared at Sanctum that Eric Northman was hers. She marveled that every day, even when they were apart, she was discovering what that meant to her. Sookie shifted again to look up the road and winced. She rubbed her butt where she was sure there was a bruise forming.

The other change in her life was that Thalia had started giving Sookie some basics in self-defense. She had explained the lessons to the telepath as, "You can't keep hoping that you kill the next person that comes after you by accident. It's better and more satisfying when you mean it." Then she had smiled in a way that made Sookie laugh out loud. Now they spent a few hours every night practicing holds and breaks. This seemed to translate to Sookie spending time landing hard on the floor which amused Thalia and was leaving a freckling of black and blue marks on her body. Last night she had been searching for something she could use as a weapon and a knife had magically appeared in her hand. She had been so startled she'd dropped it. Thalia had nodded but had not looked surprised. "That is a handy trick," she had said. Sookie had tried to do it again but hadn't been able to figure it out. She told Thalia that Mr. Cataliades had offered to find her a trainer and Thalia had been strong in her approval of the plan. "Fae are fierce fighters. If you can develop that part of yourself you will be formidable." Sookie agreed but couldn't help feeling skeptical.

Sookie leaned down to pick up a pillow that had fallen to the floor and she hugged it against herself. She felt the sun on her face and she thought about how she had held Eric to her. She remembered how his skin had warmed against hers and how his fingers felt stroking her sides. She wondered if she thought about him with all her might if he could feel how much she wanted him and missed him and loved him. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought about her Viking. She wished him comfort and luck and she wished him back in her arms soon. Then she waited to see if she'd feel anything in return – which she didn't. But just having done it made her feel better. She shook her head at her own silliness and then turned her head at the sound of a car pulling up on the gravel outside.

Sookie stepped outside and waited, her arms open, for Jason to park and step out of the car.

"Look at you little sis," he said, kissing her hair. Sookie smiled at him and then rolled right into Michele's arms.

"You are a sight for sore eyes, Sookie." Sookie looked at Michele's face. She could see that there were new lines, but they looked like reflections of happy days and many smiles. Sookie wondered if her own face was changed; if there were those indents and shadows that were proof of a life well lived. She had a brief moment of concern as she thought of Eric's unchanging face and then she dismissed it and sank into her sister-in-law's warm hug.

Sookie linked her arms through both of theirs and led them inside. She had a cold lunch prepared. She went into the kitchen and grabbed plates and forks. Michele followed her and brought out the sandwiches and the bowl of potato salad. They both headed to the enclosed porch and set things on the small dining table. Jason walked past them bringing out a pitcher of sweet tea and glasses with ice. While they ate Michele brought out her phone and they started to look at pictures of Jason and Michele's boys. Sookie couldn't believe how they'd grown in the past couple of years. She felt a deep sadness for the time she had missed because of Sam. When her face fell a little Michele had reached over and covered Sookie's hand with her own. "It's okay Honey, we tell them stories about their Aunt Sookie. They can't wait to see you again."

"Wonder what they'll make of their Uncle Eric," Sookie said, almost to herself.

"Really?" Jason said. "For real?" When Sookie nodded Jason leaned back and had a big smile took over his face. "Damn sis! I'm real happy for you."

But Michele didn't look as enthusiastic. She squeezed her hand and the look of concern on her face caused Sookie's smile to slip a little. "You heard from him recently? Eric I mean?"

Sookie shook her head. Sookie could tell Michele really wanted to say something. "Come on Michele. You might as well let whatever it is see the light of day."

"I don't mean to stir trouble for you. I'm sure you know what he's doing."

Sookie smiled, but shook her head. "What have you heard?"

Jason took Michele's hand and then looked at his sister. "It's just all the television coverage. I guess we just didn't know what to think. He's out there in Los Angeles and all. I kind of thought that if you were together he wouldn't be… well walking around with his arm around someone else."

"Lots of someone elses," Michele added.

Sookie hadn't watched any television in some time. She never had been much to while away her evenings with shows. She'd mostly used the TV to watch movies or particular episodes she had recorded. She took a deep breath and thought about what she knew in her heart; Eric Northman loved her. "Jason, you know how the vampire hierarchy works." Sookie waited for Jason to nod.

"He's told me about it, Sookie. I know about kings and sheriffs. He told me the same time he was telling me about how packs work," Michele said.

Sookie took a deep breath, then began, "What you may not know is that Eric is a regent for King Felipe de Castro now. Eric runs Oklahoma." Jason looked confused.

"I thought that he wasn't married to that Oklahoma vampire anymore," he said.

"He isn't," Sookie told him. "She was killed. I don't believe Eric did it, but now she's gone and he's reporting to Felipe."

"Oh! I remember that being on the news about Freyda Northman and some kind of accident," Michele said.

"Well it wasn't any accident. That's how things work with vampires. You want territory you kill whoever has it," Sookie told her.

Michele shook her head. "Do you know how terrible that sounds? I can't believe that someone didn't end up in jail."

Sookie nodded again. "It does sound pretty bloodthirsty, but it's been their way for a long time. Anyway, Felipe doesn't like Eric. He doesn't trust him which means Eric is in danger all the time." She waited for this to sink in. "The reason I'm in Mississippi is because when Freyda died the protection Eric had negotiated for me died with her. This is a different kingdom with a different king. Felipe can't touch me here. But neither can Eric if he wants to keep his head."

"Well hell, what does that mean Sook? You together or what?" Jason asked.

"It means Eric is working on a plan. I saw him when I was away up north. We are going to find a way to build a life together. I believe that and I trust that he is doing everything he can to make that happen for us." Sookie smiled brightly then.

Michele smiled too. "I believe it too, Sookie. I really do," she said. "But when I read the book I did wonder if maybe the reason you moved here had to do with Bill Compton."

Sookie was genuinely puzzled. "Bill? Book?"

"Yeah," Jason added. "Vampire Bill's book. Can't imagine Eric was too happy about that." Jason looked at Michele and cocked an eyebrow. "Couldn't think you'd be too happy about that book either."

Sookie got a strange feeling. "What are you talking about Jason? What would I… is there something in the book that I wouldn't like?"

Jason and Michele looked at each other. "I thought you'd read it Sookie," Michele and Jason exchanged a look and then Michele looked over toward the rocking chair at the far end of the porch. "After all, you have it sitting right there."

Jason started laughing. "Yeah, pretty much everyone in town knows about your sexing now, sis. I got to say the first time I heard someone saying it all out loud I hit him. But hell, even I couldn't beat up that many people."

Michele shot Jason a look, then put a smile on her face and turned back to Sookie. "Everyone knows that folks make stuff up in those books. I'm sure that most of it wasn't even close to true."

Sookie stood up and walked over to the rocking chair. She picked up the book and brought it back, turning to the first couple of pages.

"_I first saw him half way through my shift at the local watering hole. He was only slightly taller than me, had chocolate brown eyes and wavy brown hair and his eyes twinkled in the dim light of the bar as a half-smile played at his lips._

_We were pretty well packed, standing room only, but a table for two had just opened up in my section so I hustled forward, "Welcome to Sam's. I'm Shanna and I'll be your server."_

_He smiled at me, a warm, genuine smile, "Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself...Shanna? Shouldn't I be seated first?"_

_I looked at him, a little dazed then blushed furiously, "Of course," I said, more than a little embarrassed, "if you'll follow me..."_

Sookie felt bile rising in the back of her mouth. She felt like someone had lit a fire behind her because she could feel the mad coming from behind her until her whole face was burning. Her hands wanted to reach out and start hitting something… no... Someone.

"Oh My God! He wrote this about me?"

Jason smirked and Michele blushed a little. "Sookie, he wrote a lot about a lot. If half of that is true I have to say I know way too much."

Michele grinned a little. "Sure will give the boys a whole different impression of their Aunt Sookie," she laughed. "As if I'd ever let them read something that smutty."

"Smutty! Smutty? If I ever get my hands on Bill Compton I am going to stake him dead!" Sookie sputtered. Michele took the book from her hand and got her to sit down. "Jason, why don't you see if there's something to drink inside? Something with a bit of a bite?"

Jason disappeared into the house and came back with a bottle of bourbon and three juice glasses. He poured a little bit in each glass and handed them out. He sat down and held up the glass in a kind of salute. "Well, Sook I guess you're famous." Michele snorted beside her. Sookie was finding it harder to find anything funny about any of this.

She turned stiffly towards Michele. "You better tell me the rest. If I read any more I'm going to start breaking things."

Michele looked at Sookie. She was trying to keep her face neutral but she was having trouble doing it. "You sure?" she asked.

Jason was biting his lip. His shoulders were shaking. "Read her that one part." Michele shot Jason a look that should have burned him. It just made Jason struggle harder not to laugh. "Come on. We loved it!"

Michele growled, "You are just trying to piss her off," but she took the book and flipped through the pages. She looked up and started to read.

_She had taken the day off work so she could pamper herself. She went to her friend's store to buy something appropriate to wear and then spent the rest of the day at a spa getting her hair and nails done and a nice, long relaxing massage to help relieve the tension her excitement had caused._

_By the time night fell she was nearly bouncing out of her skin with excitement._

_Not only had Troy given her the money for her spa day but he had insisted that he pay for her clothes as well!_

"Well, that is for sure one big fat lie," Sookie burst out. "Bill didn't care if I starved. He never gave me one cent for anything, not like I'd have taken it."

Jason nodded. "Gran raised us right," he said. Michele looked between them and continued to read.

_In her mind she was going to be reserved and lady like, just like her Aunt had taught her but when she opened the door she was speechless._

_He had dressed in a nice brown suit that looked like he had just bought it, his hair was slicked back and his eyes twinkled._

_She was biting the inside of her cheek, trying to control herself…_

Jason started choking and put his head down on his arms. Michele frowned and kept reading.

…_trying to control herself and not throw herself into his arms. "You look lovely this evening, Shanna," he said with a smile lighting his face._

_She smiled back at him, "Thank you. You look quite dashing yourself, Troy."_

"_Are you…" Shanna finally thought "fuck it!" and threw herself at him wrapping her legs around his waist and planting the mother of all kisses on his lips._

Sookie grabbed the book from Michele. "He did not write that!" she yelled. She looked at the page and read the next few lines out loud, her voice getting higher and angrier as she read.

"_Are you sure we can't just stay in and do… other things?' She panted once she pulled away to breathe. Shanna could feel his excitement at the thought rubbing slightly against…_

"I am going to kill him! Jason! Did you bring your shotgun? I am going to kill Bill Compton dead!" Sookie looked over to see her brother. He was shaking helplessly, his face on his arms. Michele was kicking him under the table but she was biting her lips and her shoulders were shaking too. She looked at Sookie, her eyes closing with the effort and shook her head in defeat.

Sookie walked over to Jason and slugged him as hard as she could in his shoulder. "God damn it Jason! It ain't funny!"

"Oww! Shit, I don't mean nothing by it! But it is pretty damn funny when you think about it! Damn girl, you really do that? Go tree climbing on ol' Vampire Bill?"

Sookie yelled and pushed him again. "I never! This is a pack of lies! I can't believe anyone would read this!"

Michele started laughing out her nose. "Well you better! There's a whole bunch of people reading this. Where you been? It's a bestseller! He's doing book tours!"

Jason started to laugh straight out then. Michele got up and poked him hard in the chest. Jason tried to hold his hands up to ward her off but he leaned back too far in the chair and fell over backwards, hitting the floor. "Jason honey!" Michele cried and ran over to make sure he was okay, but she got her foot caught up in the chair leg and fell landing right on Jason who stopped laughing long enough to go 'Oomph."

Sookie suddenly found she couldn't be angry anymore. She shook her head, sat down heavily and took a drink of tea. "Oh Lord! What a muddle," she sighed.

"Damn," Jason said. He stood up and held his hand out to Michele. "Here you go sweetie. Let me help you up."

"Don't know why I married you," Michele added. "You ask me your family tree is starting to look like a straight line. Makes me want to check our kids when I get home."

"Now that's just mean," Sookie said, but she couldn't stop grinning.

Jason righted the chair and sat back down. He took a pull at the bourbon and then smiled up at Sookie. "You have to read about the bad guy; the one that seduces her and tempts her all to hell." He turned to Michele. "What's his name?"

"Leif," she told him. "The evil seducer is Leif."

"Leif?" Sookie choked, feeling the tea all the way to her sinuses. "He called the villain Leif? What does he have? A death wish?"

Jason looked puzzled. "We don't know anyone named Leif, do we?"

"Oh yes we do," Sookie told him. "Leif is the name Eric uses sometimes and Bill knows it."

"Damn, would love to see that fight," Jason said. "Bet it would be worth betting some real money."

Sookie shook her head. "Wouldn't take but two seconds and Bill would be a greasy spot on the floor." And then she smiled.

They chatted through lunch about other things. Sookie told them about Russell and Bartlett and her upcoming trip to Kentucky. It was her first official assignment for her new contract. She told how everyone seemed to want a telepath to listen to what was not being said during negotiations.

"Somehow it don't seem fair," Jason had said. "You tell the vampires what their opponents are thinking but you can't return the favor to the other side." Sookie had shrugged.

"Well, everyone knows that I have rules about things. If I find out that folks aren't being honest I just won't work for them again." Jason had nodded at her logic.

She told Jason and Michele what Russell had told her about the Kentucky king, Isaiah. She knew he had been turned at a time when most of the United States was still frontier. His maker had been Native American and he hadn't learned English until he'd been a vampire a long time. The Kentucky king and Maude were the only vampire monarchs that Russell knew as having their start as vampires in the United States. All the rest had been made somewhere else and emigrated. Jason asked if she thought Isaiah would have a coonskin hat. Sookie thought back to the buckskin pants he'd worn in Rhodes. "Wouldn't surprise me," she told him with a wink.

When the afternoon started to edge toward evening Jason and Michele rose to start the long drive back to Bon Temps. As they walked to the car Sookie pulled them both up short.

"I'll be away for most of this week in Kentucky and then we go straight to Minnesota. After that I'll be headed back to Nashville for the Amun Summit." Michele nodded and smiled, but her smile wavered when she saw how Sookie was looking at them. "I may not be able to get word to you, but there is a possibility that things could go bad." Sookie squeezed both their hands. "If someone calls or sends you a message about the weather in Florida you have to get in the car with your boys and drive here as fast as you can." Sookie looked hard at both of them. "Russell and Bartlett will protect you but you have to get here first. This is their territory." She waited until both Jason and Michele nodded.

Jason pulled her forward and kissed her cheek. When he pulled back he said, "You expecting trouble, sis?"

Sookie shrugged. "I'm not sure. It's been a long time since I've heard from Eric and that usually doesn't mean good things. I just want to be prepared."

"Okay," said Michele. "I understand," and they walked to the car.

Sookie thought about that night long ago when Eric had come to the door; the night of the takeover. She thought about how the house had been surrounded by vampires from Nevada. "If you get that message don't even stop to pack things. Just get in the car and drive. And if there are people in front of you, drive them over." Sookie looked at Jason again. "Promise me."

Jason pulled her into a hug. "You know I will," he told her.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Thalia rose that night she found Sookie watching television in the sitting room. The commentator was providing a live feed of the opening of the new Fangtasia nightclub in Los Angeles. Most of the coverage featured Eric. He was smiling and chatting with various celebrities. There was footage of his hugging Pam and kissing her forehead. There was film of Karin standing to one side and looking serious. There was even footage of Felipe de Castro flanked by several people. Sookie and Thalia recognized Horst.

Sookie glanced at Thalia. "He looks stressed, don't you think?"

Thalia glanced at the screen. "He looks like he wants to be somewhere else," she agreed. She raised her head and sniffed. "Your brother and his wife were here?"

Sookie nodded. "It was nice. I gave them the panic code."

Thalia nodded in return. "It's good to be prepared. "

Sookie couldn't bring herself to look away from the screen. "Mr. Cataliades will probably see Eric at the hearing. I imagine Felipe will want him there." She glanced at Thalia. "Guess we'll be in Kentucky when that happens." Sookie bit her lip a bit then turned to look at Thalia. "I have to ask. If the judgment goes against me and the court orders me returned to Louisiana, what will you do?"

Thalia smiled. "I'll tell you breather. I'll give your brother the panic code and I'll be putting us on a plane to Sweden."

'Sweden?" Sookie was puzzled. "Why Sweden?"

"Because," Thalia told her, "The North Man made me promise that if all else failed I would get you to a place where you would be safe. I have directions and contacts. You will never be found until it is time to find you."

Sookie felt her resolve start to falter. "Thalia? If I didn't want to be there; if I wanted to join Eric instead…."

Thalia's look was flat and unwavering. "I have given my word. It will fulfill my obligation."

Sookie bit her lip and looked down. She didn't meet Thalia's eyes as she asked, "What was it he did for you?" Once she had the words out she raised her head to meet the vampire's eyes.

Thalia smiled thinly. "I will never speak of it, but if you find yourself with the North Man you can tell him that I release him."

Sookie nodded and went into her room to pack.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Russell stood next to the car. "You'll be fine. Thalia has all the travel arrangements in hand. Louisville is a wonderful town. Isaiah's second, Thomas, is sociable. Get him to take you out to see the sights. If you like jazz you could do worse."

Sookie smiled and bowed. "Thank you so much for everything. I'll let you know as soon as I hear from Mr. Cataliades. When I think about it I can't decide if I'm nervous or so mad I could spit."

Russell smiled. "I can't see any woman as beautiful as yourself spitting. Travel safe." Sookie and Thalia folded into the black car. As they pulled away Bartlett came from the house.

"So, the travel begins?" Russell nodded. "I do wonder how Isaiah will handle all that female energy in his house. He does tend to favor more masculine influences."

Russell nodded. "The only female I ever saw him choose to interact with was Maude and theirs was not always a happy union."

Bartlett smiled. "Unlike us."

Russell smiled in return. "Yes my love. Unlike us."


	26. Chapter 26 - Luffing Up

Chapter 26 – Luffing Up

NOTE: Thank you to The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) Library for selecting this story as one of their Featured Stories for the week. Thank you to each of you who reads and special thanks to those of you who share your opinions and suggestions.

And thank you to Breathesgirl, my wonderful beta reader and so much more.

**Las Vegas:**

The noise as Eric and his group walked into the warehouse was deafening. The volume rose and fell until it seemed like a creature unto itself. Lights had been strung along girders and focused on the cage in the middle of the room. There were bleachers set back but all along the wire people were already pressed in; a mosh pit of humans and supernaturals. Eric slowly turned his head, sweeping the area looking for familiar faces. He spotted Sandy Seacrest seated high and to the right and headed in her direction. Pam and Karin trailed him closely. Eric had been pushing comfort towards Pam since the king's conference. He could feel her anxiety.

If de Castro meant to follow through with this threat to force Pam into a marriage there was little Eric could do. Of course the king would need Eric's permission as her maker to bind her legally to another, but Eric was a sworn vassal of the king. He could hardly deny the king a reasonable request. Making a sheriff a royal consort would not be viewed as a hardship by anyone. Never mind that Alabama was venal and vicious, she was still a Queen. That was what counted.

Eric eyed the cameras that were packed along two sides of the bleachers. The publicity he himself had arranged was now making this latest venture a success. Eric couldn't ignore the irony. He found himself looking for Twy. He thought he saw her rat's nest bobbing at the far end of the building and hoped that she wouldn't see him right away. The publicist was to stay for the Summit's closing ball and then would return to New York on the red eye.

'_I need to think_,' he said to himself for the hundredth time. _'I need an angle to work_.' But he seemed to be out of angles. Every idea ended up at the same dead end. He had pledged himself to Felipe de Castro. He had given his oath. If he rebelled without justification he would never be trusted in the vampire community again. He would be hauled before an Assizes court and placed before a magister as an oath breaker. He would meet his final death or worse. Karin, Pam, Sookie… all would be in danger and he would be without connections; without friends to help them.

He found himself thinking of his Sookie. He remembered her face in that moment when her eyes had opened at Sanctum; that moment she had lifted her hand and taken him in again. If he was to meet his defeat here; if de Castro was to find a way to finally kill him he knew that at least she would be saved.

Eric knew of the fae Summerlands. Niall had described them once as just another dimension. "It is a place between worlds, like here. But unlike fairy it is a one-way portal. It is not an unhappy place. Souls travel there and find their rest." The conversation had been just before Niall had asked Eric to arrange a meeting so the old fairy could speak with his great granddaughter.

'_I will find my way there_,' he thought. '_If Felipe ends me, I will find my way to the Summerlands. I will await her there. Surely we can't have found each other only to be forever parted. Fate couldn't be so cruel_.'

Eric felt Karin's rising concern. He pulled back from his thoughts, squared his shoulders and sent her a wave of warmth. As he turned to her he saw her scowl. '_Always so angry_,' he thought. It was her fight that made him love her all the more.

Beside him Sandy seemed to rouse. "Can you believe this?" she said and gestured at the scene in front of them. "In sixty days de Castro is going to be bankrupt. I've told him he has no liquidity. All his money is tied up and he just keeps spending." She hissed. "All these years I have served him and his interests, and my reward is to be ridiculed and threatened." She shook her head, almost vibrating in anger. "I hope he and his bromance enjoy their time in bankruptcy court."

Eric was astonished. "Is he in such extremes? How can he afford this?"

Sandy looked at him, her face set with anger. "He can't. But he won't listen to me." Then she looked down at her hands. "But I can see what's coming. When the checks start to bounce and the screaming starts he'll hold me up to take the fall." She whispered almost too low to hear, "I hate him. I wish he'd die."

Eric shifted so that he could look straight at her. He touched her arm and she met his eyes. "Me too," he said. Sandy nodded.

Eric turned his head back to the cage. He was so deep in thought that he didn't realize Twy was approaching until she was almost in front of him. "Do you want to let me know why you didn't think this was important enough to tell me?" she snarled at him. She was pulled up to her full height and she was so clearly enraged that Eric wondered if she intended to stake him with one of her hair pins. When it was clear that Eric had no idea what she was talking about she waved in back of her and pointed her fingers in Eric's direction. Chloe scurried forward and handed Eric a tablet. There was a blog site open and on it was a story that had the headline, "Northman's Ex is Compton's Shanna!." There was an old picture of Sookie in her Merlotte's waitress uniform. Pam was looking over Eric's shoulder and started to laugh.

Eric turned to face both Karin and Pam. "Did you know about this?"

Karin looked away. Pam laughed out loud. "I meant to tell you but things have been so busy. I don't know how anyone made the connection. It's not like Compton used her real name."

Karin mumbled, "Or yours." Eric's eyebrows rose.

Eric turned back to Twy holding out the tablet. Chloe took it from his hand. Twy towered in front of him her arms crossed and her pointy high heeled boot tapping. She looked down her nose and drawled, "All right, Northman. Who is this Stackhouse woman to you?"

Eric held her eyes. "My wife."

"His ex-wife," Karin corrected.

Twy's gaze never left Eric. She looked at him hard, then he saw her make a connection. Her eyes widened and her mouth relaxed a touch. "So, the story? The book? The villainous Leif? I take it that's supposed to be you?"

Eric felt his rage roar forward. He held himself back but only with difficulty. "He called me Leif? He used my brother's name?"

Beside him Sandy started to laugh. "Gods Viking! It's never dull with you!"

Twy glanced at Chloe who pulled out a notepad. "Well Eric, we need to come up with a cover story. According to the article this woman," she waved her hand.

"Sookie Stackhouse," Chloe supplied.

"Yes Sookie Stackhouse. The story is that she was your common law wife but it was only recognized by some vampire arrangement? Then when you got a better offer from a vampire you dumped her, _leaving_ her all alone to be picked up by some wife beater. Kind of defeats the whole noble knight image we've been building here. You think those mommas outside want their screaming little girls running after a bastard like that? I don't think so! I won't be able to pay enough to get people to show up. So start talking!"

Pam leaned forward. "It wasn't like that." She looked beside her at Eric. He met her eyes and then nodded. Pam stood up and moved down a row to sit beside Eric. She took the tablet from Chloe and started to type '_The real villain is Felipe de Castro. Eric and Sookie were happy. Felipe saw an opportunity to expand his territory. He was jealous of Eric and he thought that Eric could be a threat. So he sold him to Freyda in marriage. That meant Sookie had to be set aside_."

"Sold him?" Twy said. Pam shook her head and handed Twy the tablet. Twy huffed and then started to type. "_What are you talking about? How could he do that? Are you.. ? Slaves?"_

Pam read the question and shook her head. Her fingers flew over the virtual keyboard and then she handed the device back. "_We are subjects. Subjects to kings and queens. Felipe is our king. He can order us to do anything and we're obligated to obey_."

When Twy handed the device back, Eric took it from Pam's hand. He typed and then handed it to Twy. Sandy was reading over his shoulder and looked at him with sympathy.. "_If I hadn't agreed de Castro would have hurt her. Selling myself to Oklahoma was the price of Sookie's safety. And now he reaches out to hurt her again._" He looked steadily at Twy. When the publicist looked up, Eric said out loud, "Tomorrow the first order of business is our Assizes court. It's the legal session where we settle disputes among ourselves. De Castro has filed suit to have Sookie Stackhouse declared an asset of his kingdom. She is in Mississippi outside of his territory. He wants her declared as stolen property and returned to him."

Pam added, "And if he wins he'll use her to punish Eric."

Twy shook her head. "How do you have a person declared as property? What are you people?"

Sandy looked up. "We are vampires. We come from a long time ago and many of us are unable to understand how the world has changed."

Twy narrowed her eyes. "So Mr. Northman, are you going to ride to her rescue tomorrow?"

Pam answered. "If Eric or any of us makes any move to protest, our king would be within his rights to order our final death for treason."

"Final death?"

Pam nodded. "We would be staked on the spot. No one would move to help us. It's the accepted penalty."

"So," Twy prompted, "Who is going to argue for this woman? Bill Compton? He seems like a putz to me."

Pam snorted and nodded in agreement. "Mr. Cataliades is her attorney. He will be representing her. Of course she won't appear herself. It would be too dangerous. The lawyer will argue her case." Pam shrugged. "It could go either way. There are a growing number of us who are changing our thinking, but most of our magisters are old school. Depending on who sits the bench on this one he or she may see nothing wrong with it."

"Well," said Twy. "You may be living in the dark ages, but this is 2015. My people fought hard and long to change this kind of stupidity. And there is no way that I'm going to have all my hard work promoting Eric destroyed for that little fucktard I met last night." She turned but then stopped at the last minute. She turned back to Eric. "I like you Northman. I don't know why. You're as self centered as the rest of them. But don't think I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart." Then Twy leaned over and kissed Pam's cheek. "So sweet!," she said. "Don't worry. I know what to do." Twy turned, finger waved and stalked away with Chloe in tow.

Eric took Pam's hand. Karin laid her head on his shoulder. Sandy looked at them and nodded. "You have a good family Northman. I have to believe this will turn out well." Eric nodded.

The roar of the crowd let them know that the exhibition was about to begin. Eric's eyes widened. He saw Sonny McMillan stepping forward. That was expected. It was his opponent who was the surprise. Eric hadn't seen John Quinn in years. He saw that the years had taken their toll. There was a bit of a limp in the man's walk. He remembered reading that Quinn had almost lost a leg in a cage fight and the healing had been slow. He wondered what could have induced the were tiger to come back. He supposed it was money. He had heard that Quinn had children now.

Beside him Sandy snickered. "Gods Northman, it's like a sign. You are just surrounded by mementoes of Sookie Stackhouse." Eric's eyebrows were raised in a question. "She's in Compton's book, she's on trial, and two of her former lovers are cage fighting tonight. You have to appreciate how fate always seems to pull all things together."

"What are you talking about," Eric asked. "I know about Quinn, but I never heard about this McMillan person before this Summit. How does he know Sookie?"

Sandy snorted, "Yeah, another big money spend for no purpose. I don't know why Merlotte changed his name and his face, but he's the same money-grubbing snitch he's always been."

Karin leaned forward, her fangs descending. "Merlotte? You're telling me that Sonny McMillan is Sam Merlotte? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, " Sandy said. "I still see every payment that gets cut out of this kingdom. I've been cutting checks to that little cocksucker since before the takeover in Louisiana. He's been on Felipe's payroll forever." She looked at Eric. "Both before and after Oklahoma. I want you to know I protested the size of the bonus Felipe sent when Merlotte and Sookie got married but de Castro told me it was worth every penny to have her all tied up where he could get her later." Eric's eyes widened and his fangs descended. "And I saw how much it cost for that new face. From what I can see Felipe paid too much."

Eric breathed through his nose pulling back his anger. He centered himself until he could feel his calm return. Then he turned to Pam.

"You're free, master" she said.

"We're free, my child," he agreed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Eric rose on this, the last night of the Summit, he found himself automatically checking for Sookie. He was not surprised to meet silence, but something told him that had she met her end he would have known. He took comfort in that.

The outcome of last night's combat had the quality of the preordained. McMillan/Merlotte had won. As soon as the results were announced, Eric and his party had left. Twy had given them cover bullying and pushing them toward the door. "You have interviews tomorrow. Busy day. Get moving!" Eric had bowed briefly to Felipe. Horst had hissed in their direction but then schooled his face into pride for the cameras and reporters.

Now as he emerged Twy met him with a large glass of blood in her hand. "I have a donor right here. Why don't you take him back in your room and get ready? You have one hour and we need to be across the street." Eric was startled at the way she shoved the man at him. "Oh, and Northman? Make it quick. We have some prepping to do."

Eric retreated into the room. He made it a point to feed as efficiently as possible. He had started leaning towards male donors. He knew it was being foolish, but somehow it made him feel less like he was betraying Sookie. He knew Sookie understood that vampire was different and that he could not be held to human standards. And yet he felt in some way obligated.

Eric showered again and made himself cum under the hot water. He redressed and walked out to Twy. She gave him a quick once over as she started talking in a staccato fashion. "When they ask you about Sookie Stackhouse you will tell them that she was your wife. You can express some concern about her but you need to cut off any personal questions or questions about today's hearing. Tell them that it's personal and that you can't discuss it. When they ask about the character of Leif, tell them you haven't read the book but that you understood it to be a work of fiction. Tell them you always thought well of Bill," she fixed him with a steely eye, "Lie. Lie well. Tell them you are happy for Bill's success. Use his first name, it makes you seem like you do like him. Tell them you generally don't read fiction because you prefer reality to make believe." She started herding him toward the door. "Got it?"

Eric nodded. Karin fell into line behind him and they headed to the elevators.

The walk across the street was different. There were still some women waving tee shirts and screaming for him, but fewer. There was also a new group. They had posters with Sookie's face and sayings like "Free Sookie Stackhouse," "Shanna Deserves a Happy Ending," and "People are not Property." There were people walking around with petitions wearing Amnesty International buttons. Eric saw at least one poster with Felipe's face and a big 'X' through it. He glanced at Twy. The tall publicist turned toward him, raised one eyebrow and smiled archly. Eric thought it was a particularly scary look for her.

The questions that Eric was asked did follow the script that Twy had provided. He was asked questions about his past relationship with Sookie Stackhouse. He was asked about his current relationship with Sookie. He was asked about his relationship with Bill Compton. He was asked how it felt to be portrayed as a licentious womanizer: That reporter kept referring to him as Leif. There were questions about his role as maker to Pam and Karin. He was asked whether Pam and Karin were really his sex slaves. (Pam had provided a brief and accurate statement about a maker/child relationship and her relationship with Eric in particular).

Then a reporter asked Eric whether he had ever owned slaves. For some reason the question disarmed him. "I am over a thousand years old," he told them. "My family came from an area now known as Sweden. We were what you call Vikings now. It was a part of our culture to have slaves. They were captives we took in raids. Sometimes they remained slaves but more often they became a part of us; members of our community." Eric thought back to that time. "I was counted a man then and I had a wife and children. Because my father was a chief I lived in his house. Had I lived to inherit, I would have taken all he had; his home, his holdings and the slaves attached to his household. But I didn't live. I was turned when I was not yet thirty. So I can tell you that I have never owned slaves, nor would I. Slavery is a thing of a bygone era. It has no place in this time."

Another reporter called out, "But isn't it true, Mr. Northman, that there are vampires who do have slaves; blood slaves? Even today?"

Twy stepped forward and headed Eric off. "I'm sorry. That's all we have time for today. We are due across the street for the start of the Summit's legal proceedings. Thank you."

She gathered Eric, Karin and Pam together. They were quickly surrounded by Twy's entourage and whisked into a waiting elevator. As the doors closed Twy turned to Eric. "That was extraordinarily risky, but you did well. It was a good parting shot and will keep you on the right side of the news, Northman."

As they exited the building and made their way across the street Eric could see that the temper of those on the street was becoming ugly. There were signs about human trafficking and people were starting to chant. Karin hissed and turned to Eric. "This could turn into a hate mob. We could find ourselves being hunted again if the magister orders her returned." Eric nodded.

The security at the Mistral doors checked them. Eric had to personally vouch for Twy and Chloe. The rest of her entourage was forced to stay outside the hotel. They headed to the hall and found seats. The room had been set up with many chairs. There was a raised platform with a table at one end of the hall. This is where the magister would sit to hear the arguments. There was a book, a tablet and a large metal ball on the table. The lawyers who would be presenting cases were already present and in the seats of the front row. Eric easily saw Mr. Cataliades. He looked completely relaxed and was leaning back with his hands crossed over his stomach. When the call came everyone in the hall rose as Robert, King of California, came forward. The room fell silent.

"What is it?" Twy whispered.

"It is the California king. He was not planning on attending the Summit in any way. He is chief among the Clan here. Felipe dare not defy him." Eric looked at Pam and Karin. They were both staring at Robert in shock.

The dark-haired monarch looked out and around the audience as he took his seat. Once he settled he struck the metal ball against the table and the audience sat as well. As he shuffled his papers the noise from outside the hall filtered through the room. To the vampires in the audience the chanting from the crowd outside was clear.

Felipe de Castro was sitting to one side. He was involved in a heated conversation with his attorney and had not noticed who was sitting as magister. The attorney was telling the king something he clearly didn't want to hear. Twy leaned forward looking like she wanted to ask more but Eric stilled her with a lifted hand. While she might not appreciate the keen nature of vampire hearing, he certainly did.

The California king looked at the arguing pair, then spoke, "King de Castro, I understand you have a matter to bring before this body?" Felipe looked up, shock clear on his face. There was a low hiss from the audience as the attorney for the king stepped forward.

The attorney pulled himself straight, shooting another look at Felipe. "Yes, majesty. We have a matter concerning a particular asset of the kingdom. The telepath, Sookie Stackhouse was stolen. Ms. Stackhouse was specifically named as an asset in an earlier contract that was placed before the Court and duties due were recognized. That contract is now a matter of record and sets the appropriate precedent for this proceeding.

Robert shuffled some papers. "Are you referring to the marriage contract between Freyda and Eric the Northman as your precedent?" The attorney bowed to signal his agreement. The king looked over the contract then looked up again. "And is Miss Stackhouse here?"

Mr. Cataliades stood. "No, magister. I am here to represent Miss Stackhouse's interests."

The king smiled. "It is always a pleasure to see you Desmond. You may proceed."

The demon bowed. "I thank you, your majesty. It is our position that Miss Stackhouse is not an asset. Instead she is a person of free will. She was not a signing party to the contract mentioned. While she may have been noted as a person of interest and while there may have been assurances by all signing parties as to her welfare and the future treatment promised her by the local supernatural community, that did not constitute a formal declaration of her as an asset. Indeed," and Desmond looked into the audience, "what right would any of us have to declare any person to be nothing more than an asset; an asset deprived of their basic rights guaranteed under the laws of this country?" Mr. Cataliades swung back to look at the king. "The argument is preposterous and against all of our principles as vampires living in a post-Revelation world. And were that not self-evident, the contract being referenced is null and void. Freyda no longer lives which ends the contract. I ask your majesty to dispose of this matter by summary declaration." The demon bowed to the king and then bowed to the opposing counsel.

Robert made a show of examining the contract in hand. He fixed Felipe with a considered and scathing look. Then he swung his gaze to Eric and smiled. The audience waited. The chanting outside seemed to be growing. And then Robert, King of California raised the ball and knocked it twice against the table. "Case dismissed."

Felipe rose in his chair. He hissed and his fangs ran down. Robert stood and raised an eyebrow. "Felipe, I would ask that you consider your situation. Please don't make me call the Masters At Arms!" Twy later told Pam that she thought that Robert would have liked nothing better.

Felipe threw a furious look toward the king and then toward Mr. Cataliades. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked directly at Eric. Eric met Felipe's gaze levelly. Once the Nevada king left, Eric rose and headed toward the door. He turned to Twy. "Get to the airport. Take all your people. Get on the next plane out and go home." He turned to Karin. "We need to be on the floor. Make a point of being armed, but we must appear to be subdued and supportive." He pulled Pam alongside him. "You should go to Fangtasia-LA. Stay near Maxwell. Travel back with him. Try not to be alone. I will contact you soon."

As they found their way to the convention hall floor they made a point to wander slowly. Eric and Karin spoke in a congenial way with exhibitors. They could hear the sounds of cheering from the front of the building, signaling the announcement had reached the ears of the outside world.

"This will all change now," Karin whispered. Eric nodded.


	27. Chapter 27 - Sighting by Lights

Chapter 27 – Sighting by Lights

**NOTE: **My thanks to my readers. These journeys are always best when taken with companions. It is a pleasure sharing this road with you. My gratitude to my fellow writers. I do well because I stand among so many who inspire me to strive to be better. Thank you Breathesgirl. You are awesome!

**Los Angeles:**

Eric twirled Karin around the floor of the ballroom. Her gown flared slightly around her legs. She smiled brightly and Eric threw his head back and laughed. The outward picture was one of carefree pleasure. Inwardly Eric was acutely aware of Horst and Felipe's positions as they moved around the room.

Felipe had not recovered quickly from the defeat at the Assizes court. The rumor was that he had taken his anger out on his room and that there had been substantial damage to his suite. Eric thought it would do nothing to repair what now appeared to be a schism with the California king. '_Felipe's support is eroding_,' Eric thought with some satisfaction. The nightly king's conference had been cancelled. With the ball signaling the official end of the Summit there would not be another gathering of Nevada's assets. Many were leaving on flights tonight. Eric and his party were scheduled to return to Oklahoma during daytime hours tomorrow.

Karin had been discretely inquiring into the reason Angie was absent from the king's side. She had been told that Felipe had released Angie shortly before the Summit. It confirmed what many had been thinking; that Felipe was Angie's maker. According to gossip, Angie had immediately departed from Las Vegas. It was not clear why Felipe had chosen this timing. From Eric's point of view it provided another explanation as to why the king seemed off his game. Angie had been someone who had been a buffering element in the king's life. It occurred to Eric that Felipe de Castro was now surrounded solely by men and most specifically, Horst. It did not seem to be improving de Castro's strategic outlook one bit.

There had been other hearings following Felipe's and the Assizes court had ground on for several more hours. The media outside had gone into a frenzy following the announcement that the suit involving Sookie Stackhouse had been dismissed. The result had been national news attention. Sookie's face had been flashed repeatedly on television sets across America. There had been several reports that linked her to Eric and more that linked her to Bill Compton as the inspiration for Shanna the fictional waitress in his bestselling novel.

The underlying theme of the coverage had been the on-going questions as to the motivation of vampires and how they really viewed humans. Some reports used the speedy dismissal of the suit as proof that fears about vampire prejudice against humans was unfounded. But other media outlets were using the fact that the motion had been brought at all as evidence that there was some sort of conspiracy or secret agenda and that vampires were basically evil. Felipe had managed to become the poster child for vampire bad behavior with his refusal to talk with reporters. At one point, pushed and prodded by lights and cameras he had bared his fangs. Eric was certain that photograph would find its way into becoming the most remembered image of the day. Felipe may have thought he was winning, but from where Eric sat he could see the beginning of the end for the Nevada king. '_The trick_,' Eric thought, '_will be staying clear of the vortex when he sinks_.'

The evening had started as all Summit balls did. Eric and Karin had made their way to the dais set up at one end of the room. The attending monarchs were seated on thrones surrounded by their closest advisors. Their subjects came forward and bowed before moving away to take part in the dancing. Felipe had made an effort to look less than cordial. When Eric and Karin had bowed he had hissed, "Where is your other child? Where is my sheriff, Pam Ravenscroft?"

Eric had kept his head down as he replied, "She is attending to the general opening of Fangtasia-LA. She wanted to be certain that your faith in her was justified by the success of the venture. She is most grateful for the support you have shown both herself and her partner." Eric could almost hear the king grinding his teeth but there had been no additional questions. Horst had followed them with his cold eyes. Eric worried that the king or Horst might decide to take some action against him tonight. Now, over an hour into the evening, it appeared those fears were unfounded.

As the dance ended, Eric and Karin found themselves near a round table. They sat back as servers came their way with goblets of blood. There were several varieties and Eric selected one that was more heavily spiked with a new synthetic blend. As he sipped he noticed Sandy approaching their table. With a smile, Eric stood and bowed to the older vampire. "Dance?" he asked.

Eric led Sandy onto the dance floor. It was easier to speak there; less opportunity to be overheard. Eric leaned over to her ear, his face carefully schooled in a relaxed smile. "Any repercussions from tonight?"

Sandy smiled up at him and subtly shook her head. She was looking over his shoulder, judging the distance between themselves and the nearest couple. "No. I believe that Felipe was honestly surprised by the outcome. On top of that he received notification from one of his banks that his main operating account is seriously overdrawn. He has twenty four hours to transfer money or the information is going to be made public."

Eric laughed while he said through his teeth, "His majesty is not having a good day." Sandy smiled and nodded. To anyone looking they could have been talking about the weather or the dancers. Eric looked at her and said quickly, "Come with me to Minnesota next week. I would welcome your expertise."

Sandy shook her head. "Know that I'm in agreement with your strategy. I wish all of us success in this upcoming business."

Eric nodded and smiled. '_The plan comes together_,' he thought. The dance ended and he escorted Sandy to the edge of the floor near Karin. As he turned he found himself face to face with Mr. Cataliades.

Eric bowed and the demon lawyer bowed back. "Mr. Northman. Karin," the lawyer bowed again. "Miss Seacrest, it is always a pleasure!" with another bow. The attorney stood up then and smiled broadly. "Quite the day for justice, wouldn't you say?"

Sandy became guarded. "It was quite a day. I'm not sure that it would be wise for any of us to use the word 'justice' in relation to the judgment. I believe that our king has very definite opinions as to the outcome."

Mr. Cataliades smiled. "Ahh, I would think so. But that is one of the odd things about justice; what was considered just and good yesterday is considered criminal today. Things change along with how we as a society view those changes. Ten years ago I would never have taken the case. Today that same case was a case I couldn't lose. One might wonder why it was brought at all."

Sandy leaned toward the attorney. "I would imagine your client was relieved at the verdict."

"Oh yes, indeed!" Mr. Cataliades beamed. "Most relieved and heartened. She is in Louisville consulting for King Isaiah at the moment. The contract negotiations for the king's new plant appear to be somewhat fractious. It sounds like she is placing his mind at ease by assuring the good faith of all parties. A valuable commodity, telepathy, at a time like that. Knowing that this lawsuit was resolved and behind her did much to help her focus on the job at hand." Eric felt a stab of jealousy. He knew Isaiah to be honorable but the thought of Sookie alone with any male had him feeling anxious and angry. As if he could sense the sudden tension, the demon lawyer looked straight at Eric. "I had the opportunity to spend time with Miss Stackhouse in Jackson before coming here. She looked almost recovered. Thin, of course; but her spirit was strong. She particularly asked after both yourself and Karin, Mr. Northman. She was most specific in her regard and well wishes," and the lawyer winked.

"Of course now my next order of business on her behalf will be securing her divorce. I will be filing the appropriate paperwork in Louisiana as soon as I leave here. Abandonment is an acceptable grounds under the circumstances. Since it appears that her former husband has quit the state I should be able to file for an expedited disposition. Generally these things take a year as long as neither party disputes it but I should think this will all be wrapped up in a month or two."

Again the lawyer smiled and winked. "I can assure you that Miss Stackhouse is not disputing the divorce in any way."

Karin found herself irritated by the lawyer's words. He clearly knew or thought he knew something about Eric and Sookie's attachment. She found herself wondering how many others either knew or were guessing about the state of the relationship. The whole thing was extraordinarily dangerous. Eric had a full plate. '_Sookie Stackhouse is safe. He needs to be happy with that and focus on the next steps to get himself out from under Felipe's thumb_,' she thought. Finding herself unable to rein in her feelings she excused herself to go get more blood. As she wandered around the nearby column she found herself facing Sonny McMillan. He was texting on his phone. He looked up and smiled at her in a leering way.

"Well, well. If it isn't Northman's blonde bimbette. Bet you're just loving all this."

Karin's fangs ran down. She couldn't help hissing, "Well, well right back at you, Sonny. Or should I say Sam?" When he looked startled she pressed on, "What? Did you think that your little masquerade really fooled anyone? So stupid to think that hiding in plain sight makes a difference. A rat is always a rat. You carry a distinctive smell."

"That may be, but I can tell you haven't shared this little secret with your vampire daddy. I wonder why." Sonny/Sam took a step closer, purposely crowding her. "But I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. There's a saying where I come from, Karin the Slaughterer; all hat, no cattle. I've sure heard the reputation but that's really it, isn't it? Just talk." Then he got a calculating look on his face. "Or maybe you're happy with the way things are. Sookie's stuck out of reach and you have the big blond stud all to yourself." Karin found herself jerking a little. Sonny/Sam immediately saw it and pressed, "That's it, isn't it? Well don't you worry. I have no intention of letting little Sookie go gently. She's going to have to fight every step of the way and crawl through slime to scrape me off." Then he smiled, turned and walked away.

Karin found she couldn't move. Her emotions were a swirl. She felt that she was on overload. When she returned to the group she made her apologies. Eric looked at her with some concern but she pleaded the stress of the day.

"Of course Karin. Return to your room. Make sure all is ready and I will see you again in Oklahoma." Eric had leaned down and kissed her forehead. Karin couldn't escape the feeling that she had somehow crossed a line.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Louisville:**

Sookie woke to another beautiful sunny day. In less than 48 hours she would be arriving at the home of Queen Maude. She took a deep breath and found she couldn't keep the smile from her face. Only two days and she would be with Eric again.

The phone call from Mr. Cataliades yesterday had made her realize just how tightly she'd been holding herself. The relief and sheer joy she felt had made her whoop out loud. The king himself had come running into the study to investigate and in her happiness Sookie had jumped into his arms. He had caught her mood and swung her around and around. When she looked up she realized she had never seen him smile before. It came to her that he was a handsome man. And then she had realized that she was touching someone that was not Eric and she had become embarrassed. She had begged him to release her and to forgive her foolishness.

It was hard not to see that the king's interactions with her had changed. Sookie reminded herself that it was only normal to be easier with another person when you worked together as closely as they had over the past four days. Negotiations had gone well. All parties were satisfied and final documents should be ready for signature by tomorrow. Sookie couldn't remember a time she felt so good about work. She had been a big part of the talks and the resolution. She was feeling very proud about it.

Sookie spent some part of every day here napping outside in the sunshine. She had also taken the opportunity to get into Louisville proper and see the sights. Sookie's highlight had been a tour of the Conrad-Caldwell House Museum. She had walked slowly through each of the rooms marveling at the beautiful woodwork and parquet floors. It was fussier than the plantation architecture of the Deep South but as she stood on the staircase she could see herself making a sweeping entrance. There must have been something in the look on her face. A guide stopped at her elbow and said, "You know we do rent it for weddings." Sookie found herself smiling broadly and then biting her lip. Marriage? Would she ever marry again? And then she thought about the fact that she was still married to Sam Merlotte.

Sookie returned to the King's compound just as the afternoon was turning a little cool. A servant bowed to her and gestured toward a table. "Those arrived for you, Madame," he said. On the pedestal table there was an arrangement of flowers. Sookie thought it odd that she would receive flowers while she was away from her home base. She had a moment when her heart had soared, thinking they must be from Eric. The arrangement was nothing special; just spring flowers but looking at them and anticipating what they might mean brought a smile to her face. Then she opened the card. '_Think about me much? You should. Sam_'

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Owatonna, Minnesota

Bartlett refolded the sleeve of his oxford shirt. The informal quality of life in Maude's court was always a welcome change to the couple. Visits to other monarchs always seemed to be laced with bowing and scraping. At Maude's you were likely to find yourself walking out on the prairie under the stars in waterproof boots or having a potato peeler shoved at you as you sat around her large trestle table. The Minnesota queen hadn't exactly banned suits but it was only a stranger who didn't know the unspoken rules. The kings had packed their most comfortable blue jeans and soft durable shirts. He noticed how well Russell was looking. This kind of country living was good for his lover; it brought out the highlights in his eyes and made his mouth relax. Russell must have sensed the shift in Bartlett's emotions because he turned to him, a smile playing on his lips. "What is it?"

Bartlett walked over and ran his hand over Russell's head smoothing a few hairs back into place. "I was thinking we should have a country retreat. Somewhere we can just kick back and fish. Maybe ride horses. A play place." Russell folded Bartlett's hand into his own.

"That is a wonderful idea. A vacation home." He turned to Maude. "You are a good influence on us both. We are always so happy here. Thank you again."

The Minnesota queen smoothed the Irish wrap around her shoulders. "Don't be silly! You are just wonderful guests. It's like having family in the house." Stan chose that moment to walk in. He was also in blue jeans and a cotton button-down shirt. Russell smiled as he considered the contrast between his Bart and the Texas king. '_How can Stan make jeans look awkward_?' the king wondered. Maude rose, suggesting they all retreat to her kitchen. Anyone who spent time at Maude's knew that the kitchen was where all the business in this house was conducted.

The room was large and there were herbs hanging from hooks in the ceiling at one end over a dry sink. There was a large open fireplace set in the far wall and there was a small fire glowing. Although it was spring there was something about the look and feel of a fire that spoke to each of them. During their long lives fire had been both friend and foe but at their most instinctive level they reacted to fire as a conduit for talk and sharing. They settled in high back wooden chairs softened by pillows and pulled up around the large table. A cat stalked in and jumped into Stan's lap. He jumped right back and the cat startled and found Bartlett's lap instead. Within minutes the sleek animal was purring contentedly as the blond vampire's long fingers stroked its fur.

Maude rocked her chair back a little. "The news from the west is not good. I'm hearing that our caped friend has landed himself in some real trouble with the banks."

Stan snorted. "You should see the stories on the internet. He is being labeled as everything from pimp to human trafficker. Whoever told him that the Stackhouse suit was a good idea should be staked."

Maude smiled. "Well, I know it wasn't Angie. I saw her on her way through to Europe. Couldn't get out of the country fast enough. She wouldn't tell me exactly what happened but she asked for a maker's release and she got it. Whatever it was, she was upset."

Russell frowned. "She must have been. She has never shown any interest in wishing to leave him. Most unusual for a child and their maker." He shook his head and sighed. "Well, sometimes that is how it happens. One day you are devoted and seemingly the next you are like strangers in the same space; one person too many." The others nodded. He turned to Stan. "How do you think that the bankruptcy will play? I have to admit I'm a little nervous having this much attention focused on us."

Stan nodded. "If the story continues to build with new revelations it seems inevitable that the attention will spill to others. And if it looks like we are endangering humans in some way we will find ourselves in a spotlight that none of us will enjoy."

"Like Northman?" Bartlett started to laugh. "Can you believe him? Talk about making yourself the poster child! If I turn on the TV one more time to his smarmy smile I am going to be ill."

Maude laughed freely. "Come on Bartie! You have to admit he's pretty easy on the eyes. And he's made all of us look approachable and charming; just folks. I think that if the De Castro shit blows up it will be to all of our benefits to have Northman there to keep showing the good side of vampires." Then she started laughing harder. "Oh, oh! Did you see the red carpet thing outside Fangtasia when the human asked him to show her his fangs? And then she made him do the dance?"

Bartlett burst out, "She kept grabbing his hands and putting them on her butt. What was her name? She's famous with humans. Some kind of singer/dancer. Northman's face was priceless."

Russell smiled, "Yes, he did well. Better than I would have. I still have trouble having them touch me. There's something about the feel of their skin. My instincts always want to kick in."

Stan leaned forward. "My contacts tell me Northman's in trouble with his king. The killing kind of trouble."

Russell's eyebrow raised. "I'm assuming the Viking is aware."

Stan nodded. "He'd have to be pretty stupid to miss this one. Horst was named regent of Louisiana and Arkansas. "

Maude started. "What about Rita?"

"Dead," Stan told her. Bartlett hissed. "Sounds like it happened during the Summit. De Castro has kept it quiet so far. My contact didn't see it happen, but she was in the suite for the king's conference and everyone could smell it. Felipe pretty much told them she had been sent to her final death. Sandy Seacrest is in trouble too."

"What is wrong with him? Does Felipe have some sort of death wish?" Bartlett leaned forward dislodging the cat from his lap. "Something is seriously wrong with him. This level of miscalculation is completely out of character. I don't like him; never have, but I know him as a smart adversary. What has changed?"

"Horst," Maude said. "This is about Horst." The other vampires looked at her. "Felipe may surround himself with women but he is a man's man. I watched it with Victor Madden. He trusts men. Once he decides that some man is his friend and confidante he allows himself to be influenced."

"What? Like some bromance gone bad?" Russell smiled.

"Say what you will. Felipe will set aside everyone around him in favor of that person. I'm not saying he's having sex with them, although it would be helpful if he did. It's more like they become best buds and they spend all their time together. Worse than little girls. They share secrets and spin schemes. Victor was smart enough to make places in the circle for people that could keep them solvent like Sandy and Angie. Looks like Horst is practicing scorched earth around the two of them so that it's just Felipe all to himself." Maude looked toward the fire. "I'm worried about my Pamela. Horst in Louisiana will not be good news for anyone here. But if they are grinding an axe for the Northman my Pammie could find herself in the bull's eye."

Stan frowned. "Well all the earmarks are there. Felipe's fall is coming and unlike past failures this one will likely be played out in the public eye. We better hope it doesn't get bloody."

Russell looked directly at Stan. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. We need Northman on this side of the Clan line. He's smart and he gives everyone the right impression of who and what we are. If he's in trouble would we be willing to throw him a lifeline."

"You bet I would. I'd rather have him king than the caped crusader. What we don't have is a reason for him to break his word to de Castro," Maude added. "His sense of honor and plain pig-headedness could keep him feeling like he's tied in place." She looked around the table. "Face it, it's one of the reasons we like him as much as we do. If he was an oath breaker how long would any of us trust him?"

The vampires nodded.

Then Russell leaned forward. "Well, if we are in agreement then I would like to share some information that came to me through Mr. Cataliades." He paused allowing all eyes to turn to him. Bartlett's eyebrows raised and Russell's smile turned up to resemble the Cheshire Cat. "Eric Northman will be asking for our help. He and Sandy Seacrest wish to appeal to the Assizes court and petition to have Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas separated from Felipe de Castro. They will claim that the king has proven himself financially negligent in such a way as to endanger us all."

Bartlett shot Russell a look that said, '_we're going to talk about your secrets later_,' then said out loud, "I don't understand. Why doesn't Northman just challenge him and be done with it? He could easily defeat De Castro in combat. It's how it's always been done."

Stan leaned against the back of the chair and crossed his arms. "Think about it. How can he? If they fight and word gets out what does that say? If he fights and De Castro meets his final death, how do we explain that to all the reporters who are following this story?" Stan stroked his chin "So how will he structure this? Corporate takeover?"

"Too messy. It will be easier to approach the banks and have them turn up the heat. Let it all roll downhill and we can step in with a solution that swaps out poor management and inserts a known commodity. It's a compelling argument. He is positioning Oklahoma for a long-term partnership with all of us. Louisiana and its resources fits right into the plan. We all stand to benefit and the outcome would be long-term stability."

Maude smiled, "Northman would need to have our combined support for being named monarch. His maker has passed so there is no impediment. He has the requisite age and has demonstrated his abilities and trustworthiness."

Bartlett shook his head. "Narayana might object. This has been a real coup for them; all this new territory."

Maude lifted her eyebrows as she said, "I somehow don't think they'll object too much. What has this brought them really? Bad publicity. A bankruptcy looming. And it was Robert of California himself who sat as magister on the Sookie Stackhouse issue. I think Felipe is up shit creek and there's no paddle in sight."

Stan gave them a considering look as he spoke. "Zeus will want Oklahoma back. If that is not a part of the plan I could see them raising objections."

Russell frowned then nodded his head. "Of course. Why not? Sandy would be an asset to any kingdom. It is only right that Oklahoma would return to the Zeus fold. I don't expect that Northman would raise many objections. He can't have fond memories of Oklahoma and he's never shown a burning ambition to acquire territory. Like Northman she fits the criteria. I for one would welcome Sandy as Queen. She would fit right in with our little family and gatherings would increase by two from Zeus." The other vampires nodded.

Bartlett turned to Maude. "How do you think Isaiah will react?"

Maude rolled her eyes. "I don't think he'll care one way or the other. Seems like our Kentucky friend has other concerns at the moment."

Bartlett caught onto Maude's mood. "Oh dear, this sounds good. What is he doing now that's going to keep us laughing?"

Maude smiled and tilted her head a little. "Seems old Mr. Dour has caught a bit of the love bug. Our Miss Stackhouse made quite the impression. He called me himself and asked for adjacent sleeping chambers so he can use the country atmosphere for some serious courting."

Russell suddenly became serious. Bartlett caught his lover's mood shift immediately. "Russell, what is it?"

"Trouble," Russell said. "Maude, do you have any impression that Miss Stackhouse has encouraged Isaiah's interest in any way?"

Maude stopped smiling and leaned in. "No. Why?"

Russell made sure he had her full attention. "You need to discourage him immediately. She is Northman's. Mr. Cataliades has it directly from her. Northman has reclaimed her and he intends to bond with her as soon as he is free to do so."

"Oh shit," Maude said. "This could get messy fast. Isaiah and his party are scheduled to be here tomorrow evening. Sookie and Thalia are traveling with him. Northman will be arriving about the same time. If I know Isaiah he is out communing with nature before he gets locked into his travel coffin. He won't check his phone until sometime tomorrow. And how would I explain this in a text? I'll try to get Isaiah alone as soon as he arrives and warn him off."

"Well, now that we all know we should be able to help the situation," Bartlett added and shot a quick look at Russell. "If we had all known earlier we might have been able to get ahead of it." Russell grimaced. He could see that pillow talk tonight was going to be pointed; most likely pointed directly at him.

Maude nodded. "Sure hope so. I really like my stuff. Would hate to see it get broken up with some kind of territory fight."

"Stuff broken may be the least of our worries," Russell said.


	28. Chapter 28 - Drifting to a Lee Shore

Chapter 28 – Drifting to a Lee Shore

**En route - Owatonna, Minnesota:**

Isaiah leaned back against the banquette seating in the main cabin of the jet. The flight from Louisville to Minneapolis was so short that he never really settled. Taking away time for traffic and loading, the pure air time was under two hours. Still, it gave him time to watch the woman who was chattering with his guards in the back of the plane. He watched the way her face became animated in the telling of some story and how she lit from within when the group erupted into laughter. It had been a long time since any creature had engaged his interest, but Isaiah found himself admitting that engaged he was.

The king had misgivings when he found that he was Sookie Stackhouse's first assignment under the new contract. Isaiah had a series of negotiations he needed to finalize so that contract ratification could take place in Nashville at the upcoming Summit. Having a telepath at the table seemed a prudent move. On Bartlett and Russell's recommendation he'd signed on and within 24 hours had risen to find her in his compound along with Thalia. Of course he knew Thalia – who didn't? He also knew that she was playing bodyguard to the Stackhouse woman. What he hadn't anticipated was the woman herself.

He remembered Sookie Stackhouse from Rhodes. He had found the telepath to be irritating and crass. She had been a member of the Louisiana queen's retinue. She had also somehow ended up bonded to Eric Northman who was one of Queen Sofie-Ann's sheriffs. Isaiah had been aware that the telepath was being used by the Queen and her child Andre to run interference when he had hinted at a marriage. That interference hadn't sat well with him. He had the distinct impression that she was nothing more than a human pawn who was being used by Louisiana but by the end of the Summit he realized there was something wrong with his theory. For one thing his Britlingen guards had developed an odd respect for the woman. He also found out that she had had a hand in sounding the alarm that got him out of the hotel before the explosion.

He had heard stories that made her out to be some kind of vampire killer. Her name was linked to a handful of assassinations and another dozen killings involving supernaturals. There was some larger than life story claiming she killed a fairy with an improvised dagger in her own backyard. Based on what he'd seen and heard from her he wondered how rumors like that could have been believed by anyone. But then again he came from a time when news was carried up and down the frontier by word of mouth. Creating tall tales was a way of life. Isaiah never underestimated the ability of people to take a small truth and spin it into a large lie.

When Sookie had bowed before him in his throne room he had felt certain that all his initial impressions were right. She was wearing ridiculous shoes with heels that caused her to walk like a cripple. Her clothes were too tight and she was flashing the cleavage of her breasts like some hussy barmaid. She looked like every other gold-digging human whore who had come to his front door hoping to snag a vampire and the riches that came with him. He couldn't see any way that this foolish looking creature could be the smart, cunning woman that others described.

He might have dismissed her and made sure that his time with her was limited. But it was Thalia's devotion to watching over her that had given him pause. He could see no clear reason that a vampire of her stature would spend any amount of time with someone who looked so disposable. Yet, there the legendary fighter stood, bowing to him and deferring to her. As a man with a long history of watching for signs along the trail he found he couldn't discount the idea that there might be something about this; something more.

When it had come time to sit down and prepare for the upcoming negotiations Isaiah had purposely delegated the task to his second, Thomas. This would allow the king to sit to the side and observe the telepath.

Sookie had listened carefully to everything that was said. Then she started asking questions. She asked about the ultimate goal for the talks (long term relationship and not a short term transaction), how well the parties knew each other (it was their first business dealings), what possible concerns might the other party have aside from the predictable nervousness about interacting with vampires. With each question Isaiah found his initial impression became harder and harder to hold.

Sookie Stackhouse was direct, disarming and had some innate ability to get to the heart of the matter. She didn't shy from asking tough or personal questions. She was able to show deference but at the same time she was able to avoid looking like a boot licker. When his second, Thomas, would show any sign of frustration or irritation with the number of inquiries Sookie would inject humor into the conversation. Soon Thomas was giving away too much information and Isaiah found himself condoning it just to see what would come out of her mouth next.

Over the next few days Sookie demonstrated that her insight and political savvy was more than a one-time thing. At one point during a key discussion point she turned to one of the men authorized to make decisions for her opponent and said, "Mister, you better take your mind off my boobs and listen close to what you are being told. This is an important point and you shouldn't concede it because you can't get over my tits." When he had blushed and stammered she had softened it by telling him that vampires tended to have the same problem. Just the way she said it had the whole table chuckling in a friendly way. It had been a turning point and the tone of the negotiations had shifted to become more conversational than adversarial.

Isaiah had asked her about the comment later that night. It started their first real conversation. They sat outside on a veranda overlooking woods and a stream. They talked about living in the country and the way that nature could speak to you. Isaiah had expressed his surprise that a human would feel the kind of deep connection to nature that formed the backbone of his own personal belief system. Sookie told him that she figured being more supernatural than human had her looking at nature differently than most.

"I didn't know you were supernatural," Isaiah had stammered. It had never occurred to him that she might be other. Isaiah knew his sense of smell was not especially keen. His tracking abilities were almost entirely visual. He wondered if that may have contributed to his not recognizing her true nature.

Sookie had flashed a dazzling smile then and laughed in a way that found him almost involuntarily smiling back. "Well, I can understand how folks would think that. I believed it growing up. But turns out I'm a hybrid. In most ways I look and act human but I'm a fairy."

Before he could stop himself, Isaiah had said, "Well that explains why you're so sweet." As soon as it was out of his mouth he felt awkward.

But Sookie had just smiled and patted him on the arm. "Well that is just so kind of you to say! And I appreciate it," and she had just moved the conversation along in a way that made him feel not awkward at all.

The next night after negotiations wrapped up Isaiah invited the entire party on a riverboat cruise that sailed up the Ohio River. Normally Isaiah found these kinds of social events tedious. He found he didn't do small talk well and invariably he would retreat to some corner, leaving his retinue to perform most of the entertaining. But this time was different. Sookie had drawn him into the conversation in such a disarming way. The next thing he knew he was telling stories of when he had been a young man exploring the Ohio in a canoe and his adventures and misadventures along the way. Unlike every other time he found the humans seemed to warm to him. His own people were smiling and bowing in a different way. A band started to play and his new partners took turns asking Sookie to dance. Isaiah found he couldn't take his eyes off her.

With an instinct born of years of experience he became aware that he himself was being watched. He turned to see Thalia's dark eyes staring at him. The king faced her, drew himself up and then briefly bowed his head. The fierce woman bowed more deeply. He noticed that when she rose she was not smiling. She turned back to watch the telepath and Isaiah found himself wandering to the rail to watch the lights of land as they slid by.

He considered that some part; maybe the most part of the legend of Sookie Stackhouse might be true. She might be that paradox which had been the hallmark of the women of his human years; modest and kind-hearted with a backbone of steel and the temperament of an angel. Isaiah chided himself. He was being foolish. He told himself that he was making things up that he wanted to see. After all, he really didn't know anything about her. He felt certain that once he had facts he would see this pull for what it was; a groundless infatuation driven by proximity and his own loneliness.

She had told him she was a country woman. Isaiah felt that he could prove that to be a lie. Isaiah issued an invitation to Sookie, Thalia and members of his retinue to come for a tour of the local caves. Surely the telepath would either show up in her high heels or would decline outright. It would prove that she was not what she said. But she had surprised him. He found her appropriately dressed in sturdy boots and well-worn jeans. Isaiah had arranged the standard guided tour, but then the guides turned his party loose into more unexplored portions of the caves. With the king's night vision and perfect recall Isaiah had navigated the party through the caverns with relish. Rather than being anxious or ill at ease Sookie had been enchanted by the network of chambers and expanses. She would shine her light on the stalactites and stalagmites and exclaim over the colors and the shapes. She told him about growing up in Louisiana and pretending to be an explorer with her brother Jason. Since the water table was so high they hadn't had real caves so Sookie and her brother would build burrows with local brush. Sookie laughed as she told him stories of how they would pretend to be pirates with caves filled with treasure.

When confronted by uneven rock or small walls the telepath would happily scramble on hands and knees, laughing at the mud. At one point she had pushed back her hair and left a dirt swipe on her cheek. Isaiah had watched his own hand rise to the woman's face almost as if it had a mind of its own. Thalia had inserted herself between them before Sookie ever registered his movement. Thalia handed Sookie a rag and the woman had wiped the mark from her face, smiling and making jokes. Isaiah realized that any doubts he had as to her authenticity were gone. He found that with each glance and smile he was becoming more of a watcher than Thalia. He couldn't keep his eyes from her.

On the way back to the compound he decided to ask his questions. "I've heard stories about you."

She had smiled warmly at him. "Well, why don't you tell me what you've heard and I'll tell you if it's true. Thalia back here," and she jerked her head a little to indicate the vampire in the back seat, "she's had my blood so she can be your lie detector."

Isaiah had started then. He wondered if she realized just how deeply skeptical he had been. "I have heard that you have killed vampires. Surely that is an exaggeration."

Sookie shook her head and laughed a little. "Nope, no exaggeration. More true that I like to admit. In fact there's been a few." Then she looked at Thalia before she continued. "There was Lorena Ball. Oh, and there was Bruno, Victor Madden's second. And I did have a hand in Victor Madden's demise, although I'm not really sure how common that knowledge is." Isaiah found his eyes getting wider. He had not thought that this petite southern woman would be counting off kills like they were so many pies she made on a summer afternoon. "Course those were just the vampires. There were others of course, weres and fairies and such. Seems like I had a tough stretch of luck there where folks would come after me on a pretty regular basis."

Then she had smiled at Thalia. "If Thalia has her way I'll be all trained up so I never have to worry about getting too close ever again. I'll be so good at throwing knives that I'll be able to stick them at twenty paces!" and she had laughed. Thalia had also smiled and Isaiah couldn't help but find himself aroused by the paradox. This woman had proven herself to be kind and charming, yet she was also fierce and deadly.

Everyone in his court had known about the motion Felipe de Castro had filed. He had not mentioned it to Sookie directly but he had made up his mind that if she was ordered to return to de Castro's area he would offer to bond with her. A bond with a king would supersede any court order. He told himself that it was the act of a friend; that it was only a kindness returned.

When she had received the phone call he had known immediately that it was the demon lawyer. He had hovered in the hallway anxious to be of service. When he heard her yell he ran into the room, unable to stop himself.

Sookie's smile had looked like a burst of sunshine and before he could even register his surprise she had thrown herself into his arms. In that moment he had felt his heart lurch. He had spun her around and around and had felt that he wanted her there within his arms forever. Then the moment had passed and she had been embarrassed. He attributed it to a womanly modesty and his estimation of her character rose again.

They were to be transported to Minnesota tomorrow. He called Maude that night and asked the Queen to place Sookie near his own rooms. He remembered the Owatonna area well. The fields and streams around the property were lovely. It was too early for fireflies but he was sure that he could talk Sookie into walking with him under the moon and stars. He felt that she filled some part of him that was missing. She seemed to enjoy his company. It wouldn't matter that she was a hybrid. He would have her by his side; not a queen since vampires couldn't accept that status for one not their own but as his consort. As he watched her he considered that there were other benefits to consider. Her body looked bounteous. '_Yes_,' Isaiah thought, '_we will have many happy years together_.'

**Owatonna, MN:**

Isaiah and his retinue were driving up the long driveway. Sookie had never seen a landscape so flat. The sky above them seemed to stretch forever and the stars looked so close. She wondered how anywhere could feel so vast. The house was still some distance in front of them. It was set among a grove of mature trees. There were places that the ground seemed to dip and swell around them. There was a scent in the air of rich soil and something else that sang to her of spring.

Sookie had been feeling a headache since rising and as each hour passed the pressure seemed to increase. As they approached the house she saw the lights blazing suddenly she found herself in Bon Temps pulling up to her own home. It was that terrible night when she had gone to see Jason and Michele. It was the night Sam had beaten her and abused her. It was her house ablaze in the dark. Her breath was hitching and she started trembling. She could feel a wave of warmth flow over her like a deep, heavy blanket. She looked behind her, her eyes wild. Thalia was staring at her. The dark-haired vampire didn't say anything, but Sookie could tell that Thalia had felt her panic and was trying to intercede. Sookie found her breath slowing. She kept her eyes on Thalia and the flashback that had ensnared her seemed to recede.

The cars pulled into the yard and the doors opened. Thalia was immediately in front of her putting her arm around Sookie's waist. Maude herself came through the doors to welcome them. Thalia bowed her head and said, "Sookie is unwell. She needs to rest." Maude took one look at Sookie's pale face, nodded and gestured to one of her women. Sookie felt a dizziness overcoming her and she realized her knees were buckling. Isaiah was stepping forward but Thalia blocked him. She picked the telepath up and carried her as one would a child.

Thalia locked eyes with the Kentucky king. Her look was so fierce that Isaiah found himself taking a step back. Only then did Thalia turn and follow the servant into the Queen's house.

Maude stood next to Isaiah. "Is Miss Stackhouse well?"

Isaiah looked at Maude, his expression troubled, "I don't know. She has been fine all week; more than fine". Maude lifted an eyebrow before giving Isaiah a bright smile and turning to head back into the house. The byplay between the king and Thalia had allowed Maude to feel even more confident that nothing had changed between the young woman and Northman. Isaiah might be stubborn and too taciturn for his own good, but she was happy she could get him away from the danger he couldn't see. But she knew Isaiah. He would be angry if she tried to talk about anything personal anywhere within earshot of others, even if those people knew about it. Isaiah was deeply personal and while she'd laugh at his peculiarities she would never purposely make him uncomfortable. After seeing him step forward towards the Stackhouse woman Maude knew that discussing Northman and the telepath was bordering on a topic that Kentucky would find fell into the personal category.

As they walked into the hallway Stan emerged from the back of the house. He walked directly up to Isaiah and greeted him warmly. The two monarchs spent some minutes talking about the outcome of Isaiah's latest contract talks. Stan stood to benefit since the parts produced would be used by Stan's pipeline operations. He was anxious to have a domestic source for the parts and let it be known he preferred to do business with other vampires. Maude nodded and contributed to the conversation, but found herself becoming anxious. She needed to find an opportunity to pull Isaiah away. It looked like the conversation was winding down when there was another commotion from the yard. Eric Northman's group had arrived.

The activity level escalated yet again. The kings and Eric all retired to the kitchen meeting room while servants bustled with luggage and room assignments. Karin bowed to Maude and then left to follow the servants and make sure that room arrangements suited.

Karin noticed that her maker had been placed at the end of a long hallway. There only appeared to be one other door at this end of the house and it was directly opposite. Karin had assumed that the unopened door led to her own room but the servant had shaken her head and led her to another wing of the house. This wing had more doors. She recognized her counterpart, Thomas, from Isaiah's court coming toward her. "Greetings, Karin. It's good to see you again. You will be here on this wing?"

Karin nodded. The younger vampire smiled. "Well, perhaps we could find entertainment together. I am there at the end on the left." He gestured in the direction. "My king is directly across but I understand he is planning on walking out this evening with the Stackhouse woman. He's taken with her; we all are. I think he hopes to bring her back with us." The vampire raised his hand to stroke Karin's face. There had been occasions when they had found pleasure in each other's beds. The encounters were never long-lived but they had been pleasurable for both parties. Thomas smiled wryly. "We would have plenty of privacy. I believe my king intends to pursue the telepath most vigorously"

Karin considered what she was hearing. Sookie and Isaiah? There was something in the image that clicked; a safe and acceptable answer. The Stackhouse woman would be well protected and Eric would be free of her. She found herself smiling and in a better mood than she had been in weeks. "Well, Thomas you are looking good too," and she gave him a flirty smile. "I'll consider your offer. I'm sure we'll see each other once things settle down tonight." Karin ran her fingers down his arm, then turned on her heel and headed back toward Eric's room. As she was approaching the door across from her maker's room opened and Sookie Stackhouse herself stepped out and into the hall. Karin couldn't believe it. It was as though a line of dominoes were falling; each one perfectly in place.

"Karin!" Sookie exclaimed in surprise. Karin noticed how pale the telepath looked. "Is Eric here?"

Karin smiled at her. "Yes, Sookie, my maker has just arrived. I came ahead to get things settled and to look for you." Karin schooled her face into one of concern. "Sookie, you look pale. Why don't I take you to his room? He will be in meetings with the other monarchs for several hours. You can spend that time resting. You know he'll wake you up when he is done. You know he'll be happy to see you."

Karin led her to the door. She watched the telepath walk to the large bed and lay herself down in the middle of it. She waited until she was sure Sookie was settled and she pulled the door shut. Then she walked back to see Thomas.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Eric followed the servant back to the Queen's kitchen. While he had never visited the Minnesota monarch before he had heard stories from Pam. His child had told him of the informal atmosphere and warned him not to be fooled. When Eric walked through the door he was met with the sound of laughter. The kings Crowe and Edgington were lounging in chairs, cups of blood in front of them. Bartlett appeared to be engaged in telling some story involving night fishing and using torches. "…and he leaned over and the next thing we knew he'd set the man's pants on fire… 

"It wasn't intentional, Bartlett!" Russell growled. He turned his head and saw Eric. "Northman!" The king stood up and walked forward to greet the Viking. "You are here! We have been waiting for you." Eric made to bow but Russell tutted at him. "Never mind all the bowing. Maude will just rail at you. There's a chair over there. Take off the suit jacket and make yourself at home!"

As Eric glanced around the room he felt distinctly overdressed. Stan was smiling from one end of the room. Bartlett had stopped his story but remained seated to accommodate a large tabby cat that was sprawled over his lap. Russell brought forward a cup of blood and set it in front of an open chair with his own hands rather than wait for a servant. Eric felt that he had stepped into some alternate version of the universe he thought he knew so well.

When he remained standing Bartlett chuckled, "Come on, don't tell me the famous red carpet booty dancer is tongue tied? Sit down and let's talk about this takeover you're planning." Eric's eyebrows rose but he could sense no tension in the room. He walked to the chair that had been offered and sat.

He swept the room again, noticing that Maude appeared to be missing. "Is the Queen available?" he asked. "I have messages for her from Pam."

Stan shook his head. "She's with Isaiah. I expect they'll be here soon. In the meantime, tell us about Narayana. Heard California made an appearance."

Russell leaned forward, "Don't worry Eric. You are among friends now. Mr. Cataliades has shared your goals with us and we are in favor of supporting your break from de Castro." He smiled broadly at Bartlett. "In fact we've been ready for this for months."

Bartlett added, "Now it's just a matter of determining how to frame the request and getting it in front of the Assizes court in Nashville. I assume you won't object to being named king."

Eric felt as though a great weight had lifted from him. '_At last my luck changes_,' ran through his mind. He reached out to Sookie and he felt her, faintly for the first time in weeks. He couldn't help but smile and he lifted his goblet. "To new ventures."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maude stood next to Isaiah and watched him carefully as Thalia carried the telepath into the house. She had noted the way the king had started forward when the Stackhouse woman had stumbled. She had watched the preemptive move Thalia had made, purposely cutting Kentucky off. Thalia's action had bordered on insult and her subsequent look could have earned her combat. That Isaiah backed off spoke to the degree of confusion he was experiencing.

Maude knew Isaiah well. Their marriage had been more strategic than affectionate, but their time together had given them an affinity that allowed them to assess and address their mutual needs. Minnesota knew Kentucky to be a proud and silent man. That he would reveal this much of himself spoke volumes.

Once the others had walked into the house toward the kitchen, Maude had touched Isaiah's sleeve. She motioned with her chin toward the nearby door that opened to the outside. "A minute?" she asked.

The king had nodded and they had settled into a companionable silence as they walked. Once clear of the house Maude nudged him with her shoulder. "She is a winsome person, Old Paint. Pretty and smart. I understand the attraction." Isaiah hadn't replied but neither had he protested. Instead he kept his eyes forward and continued to walk. Maude allowed the silence to stretch between them before saying, "You need to know she is already tied to someone."

Isaiah never slowed as he said, "She doesn't look tied. If she was tied to someone Felipe wouldn't be going after her."

Maude stopped. After a minute Isaiah stopped too. He turned to her. "I like her Maude. She suits me." He looked toward the trees. "She makes me laugh. I'm a better person when I'm with her." Maude felt her heart clench just a bit.

"You've been alone a long time Isaiah." He nodded and started to walk back to the house.

"I need to change my clothes," he said.

"Of course," Maude said, her tone lighter. "I'll show you where I have you placed."

"Add another wing?" he asked.

"You know me," she smiled. "Restless. I always seem to find another excuse to bring more people in and then I need a roof to offer them."

Once inside Maude steered him through the building until they came to the doors at the end of a hall. Maude smiled and swung the door open and then stopped. She put her arm across the door, barring Isaiah's entrance. She could see a woman's figure huddled in the middle of the bed. She had been sleeping soundly and her scent was heavy in the room.

"Sookie," the king said behind her and tried to step forward.

"Stop!" Maude hissed. "Don't you recognize a honey trap when you see one?" She looked up at him her fangs descended. "Listen to me Isaiah. She may not smell like him but she belongs to Eric Northman. I don't know why she's in your bed but this is not right."

"Perhaps you are not so happy for me, old friend," Isaiah hissed back. Maude reared back, her mouth pulled tight.

"You would say that? You forget yourself!" Then she caught her temper. "If I'm right and you step into this room your scent will be on her. There will be no explaining it." Maude caught his eyes again. "Allow me to walk in first and wake her. If she calls for you I'll leave. I'll do everything I can to support you to Northman and anyone else. But if she calls out for Northman, you need to go get him. Do you agree?" Maude waited until the king nodded. "You stay here," she said with a glance at the floor outside the door.

Maude walked forward into the dark room. She reached to the bedside table and turned on the light. Then she sat lightly on the side of the bed and gently shook the telepath. Sookie groaned and then rolled toward her. She opened her eyes, squinting a little, a sleepy smile on her face. "Eric?" she mumbled.

"No child. Not yet. It's Maude."

Sookie's eyes opened wider. She got a worried look on her face. "Is Eric okay? He's still coming, right?"

"Yes, child. Your Eric will be here. But we should get you returned to your own room. There has been a mix up and you're in the wrong place. He won't know where to find you."

Sookie looked confused but accepted the Queen's offered hand. As Maude helped her stand she glanced toward the door. Isaiah was gone.


	29. Chapter 29 - Shoaling

Chapter 29 – Shoaling

**NOTE: **Thank you Breathesgirl. Your patience and input is always appreciated. For those who have been patiently following for the time that our favorite couple is finally together, I hope it proves worth the wait.

**Owatonna, MN**:

Maude walked down the corridor shoulder to shoulder with Sookie. When they reached a juncture in the halls the Queen gestured toward the turn that would lead to the rooms Maude had intended for the telepath's use.

"You look much better than when I last saw you," Maude said with a quick sideways glance. When Sookie glanced back at her with a smile Maude continued. "How is my friend Lydia? Does she seem to be doing well?"

"Lydia is just wonderful people," Sookie replied. "I try to talk with her every day."

Maude looked kindly at the younger woman. "I remember you telling me that having someone to discuss things with might have helped you with some of the problems you were having; talking might have helped ease your burden."

"I was right," she said and she shook her head and glanced at Maude, "I wasn't in Eric's room, was I?"

"No," Maude answered, "You were not."

"Possible it was just a mix-up?" Sookie looked hopeful.

Maude nodded more to herself. "It's possible." Maude looked down, her face serious as she asked, "Who told you to go there?"

"Karin," Sookie responded. "I asked where Eric was staying and she offered to show me to his room."

Maude considered before answering. "It is possible it was a mistake then. My servants were only recently aware of the final chamber assignments. It is possible that Karin heard incorrectly."

Maude smiled and moved on, continuing to the end of the hall and opening the door to Sookie's chamber. "As luck would have it, your Eric is directly across the hall." Maude winked at her, "But you won't need to use these public doors." Maude walked into the room past the bed and to the far end of the bedchamber. There she unlocked and opened another solid door: The soft sounds of night filtered into the room.

Maude stepped through and Sookie followed her onto a large wood plank deck. The edges of the platform were lit by soft solar lights. There were wooden chaise chairs covered with soft cushions and steps that led down to what appeared to be fields beyond. The night was filled with the sound of spring peepers. Sookie heard an owl and looked up at the sky full of stars and a crescent moon high overhead. Sookie shivered just a little and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Your rooms share this deck. And if you look around," Maude gestured with her arm, "this wing is isolated from the rest of the house. You will have your privacy here."

Sookie found herself staring at the Minnesota Queen as realization hit her. "You know about Eric and me. Even before you found me tonight? How?"

Maude smiled. "I could tell you that I'm telepathic but that wouldn't be true. I just found out yesterday. Russell Edgington was told by Mr. Cataliades. Russell told the monarchs here because we needed to know." Maude reached out and briefly touched Sookie's cheek. "We are with you both, we kings and queens of Amun. We will do what we can to bring you both home."

Sookie felt her heart clench a little and her throat tightened. She looked at the deck and the chairs. She looked at the door that led from the room that was across from her own. She felt her lips pull up into a smile and she released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for both of us."

Maude smiled and glanced back toward the house. "I would suggest that until your Viking joins you that you remain in your room. I have guards patrolling the perimeter of the property but it's still probably better to be cautious." Maude gave Sookie an arch look, "Course once your Viking does arrive I'd expect the guards will be well off in the distance. Don't feel like you have to hold back on our account!"

Sookie remembered the looks she'd received at Sanctum after Eric's visit and she found herself blushing hot and bright. Maude laughed out loud. "Don't you be blushing! It's a strong woman who can love a man like he deserves. We vampires are a greedy lot; possessive by nature. Don't you ever be embarrassed about claiming your own with one of us. It's the highest compliment you can pay him because his claiming you is the highest compliment he can give." Maude walked back to the door. "Now let's get you back inside and settled. The kings will probably hold onto Eric for another hour but I'll pry him free and send him your way."

"I have a better idea." Sookie glanced at the open suitcase and grabbed a folded shirt. "If you can give me a minute to freshen up I'll come with you. No need for Eric to go searching."

Maude paused as she considered, then she made her decision. " I have to rejoin my guests, but I will find Thalia to guide you to my kitchen," the monarch winked.

"Kitchen?" Sookie asked.

"Of course," the monarch confirmed. "The place all business in any home should be conducted."

"That's what my Gran used to say," Sookie smiled. "Won't take me a minute," and the telepath ran towards the bathroom.

As Maude rushed back down the hall her mind turned to Karin. There was something about this that did not sit right. It was possible that Karin had made a mistake but to have put Sookie in Isaiah's room seemed too much of a coincidence. Maude was certain that if she had not been at the king's side when he opened the door Isaiah would have claimed Sookie, even if the telepath had protested.

Maude knew Isaiah well. While he was honorable it was an honor defined after his own fashion. Isaiah had a strong belief in signs. Because he desired the telepath, or at least what she represented to him, he would have interpreted Sookie's presence in his room as the hand of fate. Any resistance she might have made he would have dismissed as game playing or delaying some inevitable outcome. Isaiah lived in a world of absolutes. If the woman was in his bed it was for a reason and he would let fate play its hand even if that led to a fight and his final death.

It was because of the king's belief system that Maude allowed herself to believe that Isaiah would get over his disappointment. After all, he and the telepath hadn't spent that much time together; days really. She was not vampire and Isaiah had never shown any particular interest in relationships with other supernaturals, much less humans. Because Isaiah and Maude had been together when they found Sookie the Queen was sure that Kentucky would interpret that as fate's hand pointing out that the telepath and he were not meant to be together. '_It will all be well_,' she thought as she walked back down the hallway.

As Maude entered the main body of the house she found Thalia. From the direction the woman was coming Maude thought she had probably been visiting the donors.

"Majesty," the vampire said with no bow at all.

"Thalia, so nice to see you remain unchanged," Maude had bowed her head instead. It earned the Minnesota queen a wry smile from the dark haired vampire.

"I am unchanged, like the rocks. But on occasion I find that I am worn down," and with those words Thalia bowed deeply. When she rose she glanced over the Queen's shoulder. "Is all well?"

"Yes, but there was some mix up earlier. Our Miss Stackhouse found herself in the wrong room." When Thalia's eyebrow lifted Maude continued. "She was in Kentucky's bed."

Thalia hissed. "How dare he? I could see while we were in Kentucky he was stalking her. What right did he have to take her?" The vampire made a move to head down the hallway.

Maude held up her hand and barred the way by stepping in front of Thalia. "This was not Isaiah's doing. I was with him when he found her. He was as surprised as I was."

Thalia caught herself but her voice was still strained. "Did he touch her?"

Maude shook her head, "No. He stayed at the door of the room. I woke her." Maude tilted her head. "I assume you were with the donors?"

Thalia nodded. "Yes. I left Sookie sleeping in her own chamber. I thought I would be safe leaving her to feed." Maude nodded. Thalia's eyes became considering. "Do you have any idea how she came to be in Kentucky's room?"

Maude's mouth settled into a straight line. "I gather our Sookie decided to go looking for the Viking. She told me that she found Karin and it was Karin that directed her to Kentucky's room." Thalia hissed again. "It's possible that it was a mistake. I had originally planned on placing the telepath and Kentucky together." Maude held both hands up to stop Thalia who leaned forward, "but Russell Edgington told me last night about the nature of the tie between Sookie and Northman. I switched the arrangements and tracked down Isaiah myself. Isaiah had no way of knowing about any of this. As far as he knew; as far as any of us knew Sookie Stackhouse was no longer tied to anyone."

Maude shook her head again. "I don't know how to explain Karin's action. She might have found an old list left from the servants or someone may have made a mistake."

Thalia was looking at her with hard eyes. "There is one way to find out. Karin knows."

Maude considered. "I haven't seen Karin since they arrived. I'm sure we will find her." Maude glanced over Thalia's shoulder toward the main house. "I don't know what's holding up Northman. I had expected he'd hightail it over here by now." She looked back to Thalia. "Sookie is changing her shirt. Would you escort her to the kitchen when she's ready?"

Thalia nodded. "I will escort her. No need for her to go wandering into any more unexpected places."

Maude nodded. "I just can't escape the feeling that she needs to have someone watching over her." Then Maude laughed. "Oh goodness! I just remembered something that Pam told me about Sookie! She told me that Sookie is a lot of trouble!"

Thalia smiled. "Yes that is true."

Maude shook her head. "I'm sure we'll all laugh about musical rooms tomorrow, but for now I have a bad feeling. And that I feel that way in my own home pisses me off more than I can say."

Thalia nodded. Then she walked around the Queen and back toward the telepath's room. Maude watched her for a minute and then continued on her way back to the main house to find out what was delaying Eric Northman.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sookie turned at the sound of the door behind her. Thalia glided into the bedroom and came to stand beside the telepath. "You seem to have a problem staying put, breather," Thalia growled.

"Guess I do," Sookie agreed. Sookie smoothed the wrinkles from her blouse and walked to the mirror hanging over the small bureau. She picked up the brush and then closed her eyes. This was part of her new discipline. She reached out with her telepathy to see who and what was around her. Thalia recognized what had become a familiar look and nodded her approval. After a few seconds Sookie opened her eyes and started brushing her hair. Looking at Thalia in the mirror's reflection she said, "There are at least seven vampires out there patrolling. And I heard another ten or eleven weres."

Thalia gave Sookie a tight smile "Of course. It would not be right if there were not patrols. Even for one as well-liked as Maude there is always danger." Thalia allowed her feeling of irritation to show. "When I left you I thought you were sleeping. I would not have gone to feed if I had realized you were not settled."

Sookie shook her head a little. "I did doze. That panic attack really kicked the crap out of me." She held Thalia's eyes in the mirror and gave the vampire a contrite smile. "I know. I shouldn't have gone wandering without you. I think it's him being here that has me bouncing around like a yoyo." The telepath shrugged and then blew out a long breath. "Do you think he can feel me now?"

"Perhaps. Even with my blood masking his your proximity should allow him to more fully feel you through the blood."

Sookie turned her eyes to her own reflection. "Can I ask you a question?" When Thalia just stared at her, Sookie continued, "Can you tell me about being bonded; I mean permanently bonded with a vampire?" Thalia's eyes widened. "What would I expect to be a part of that?"

Thalia hissed. "Why are you asking me this? You were bonded. You know what is involved."

Sookie shrugged. "Well, you're right. I was bonded to Eric but I didn't know anything about it. I was always wondering what it was supposed to do; what it meant. I know I could feel him. I knew if he was coming because I'd feel so happy. And there were days that I would be all angry and sad and then I'd find out later that those were days he was having troubles. I wondered later if the reason that I was so angry then was because it was really him." Sookie looked directly at Thalia. "Please Thalia? By the time I was close enough to Pam to ask things between Eric and I were just not good. And Eric? He never explained anything! He'd just go off and do whatever he thought was best and leave me guessing."

Thalia scowled. "You forget I was there. You never asked questions. You assumed you knew the answers."

Sookie almost protested but caught herself. She thought about it and said, "You know? You're right. And look where that got me." Sookie looked Thalia right in the eye. "Well, I'm asking questions now. I want to know. I want to know if I ask Eric Northman to bond with me again what it really means to both of us."

Thalia turned her back and stared at the door to the hallway. Sookie thought she was going to leave but instead the vampire spoke. "A bond; a true bond between mates is a sharing of essence. It requires that beings take each into the other and that there be an agreement; a consent between them. You become one." Thalia turned and looked at Sookie then. "It is a sacred thing. I have never heard of one being broken until you." Sookie got the impression that this was deeply disturbing for Thalia. "A true bond; a blood bond is more than the sharing of blood. It is your oath that if one passes to final death the other will follow; it is a promise that no matter what realm you inhabit, as partners you will never walk alone."

Sookie felt tears come to her eyes as she felt the strength of Thalia's conviction. Now that she wasn't fighting what she was and what Eric was to her she felt like she was finally hearing this in a way that spoke to her heart. "It's a marriage."

Thalia scoffed. "Marriage? It is not the same. A marriage is a thing of paper; a thing of the word and the mind that can be set aside. A bond is a thing of heart and blood and bone. It is not what you decide; it is what you are."

Sookie nodded and smiled. "Thalia? Let's go find him."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maude entered her kitchen to find Russell, Bartlett and Stan lounging in chairs. Eric was standing near the back window looking into the darkness.

"I agree," Eric was saying, "with our combined influence we will be able to convince at least two banks to recall their loans to de Castro. Even if all we have is a threat, that information can be leaked to the press. It's the kind of news that will cause his other vendors and suppliers to panic, adding to the pressure."

Stan frowned. "So what? He has money troubles. We've all had them in past. What's to convince a full tribunal to not just force a challenge or grant de Castro some kind of extension?"

Eric swung around, giving the kings his full attention. "It is different now. Felipe is a national figure. People have seen his face and they are aware of his interests. We can't just make him disappear as we could in past."

Russell nodded. "You're right. We reached the same conclusion. But the idea of a tribunal offering him a loan to give him time to consolidate and refinance is possible."

Eric smiled, "That assumes that the potential embarrassment of failure would make them generous. I believe that Felipe has over-taxed his friendships. He would need the full support of his own Clan at a minimum. I believe that Robert's appearance as magister in Los Angeles made it clear that Felipe has alienated his base. Who in the other Clans would offer support to a monarch who has lost the favor of his own Clan?" The kings nodded.

Russell spoke, "I agree. Robert's judging against him was a clear sign to us all. Any who step forward to help him do so at their own peril. They could find any favors due them from Narayana cancelled."

Stan leaned back. "But a full tribunal? Is it wise to ask for that kind of body for something like this? If for some reason we do end up with members of other Clans favoring Felipe, and if he somehow won you could find yourself in a hard place, Eric. You would be cast as renegade and traitor."

Eric's expression hardened. "Not a traitor," he said. "I pledged my fealty to Felipe de Castro because I believed that he had ever been a fair witness and supporter during my time as Sheriff of Area 5. But I have found out that he was not honest with me. He violated the terms of the marriage contract which he himself signed as witness. Sandy Seacrest is in Oklahoma now assembling the documents that prove his faithlessness. The demon lawyer is with her and together they will travel directly to Nashville."

Bartlett looked worried. "Oklahoma is now enemy territory for you, Northman. Aren't you worried about their safety? If they are destroyed your evidence could be gone with them."

Eric shook his head. "Oklahoma is not enemy territory. It is my territory and I am still named regent. I am here on a pre-approved visit to negotiate favorable terms for supplies with the Minnesota queen." Eric smirked and bowed toward Maude. "Felipe may have his suspicions but if we time this right he should be too busy trying to raise money to be worrying about grinding the axe he has for me."

"And Horst?" Maude said from the door. "What of him? Pam will likely be his first call."

Eric nodded, "Pam and Maxwell Lee will be ready. While we were in Los Angeles Horst proposed a marriage between Pam and Alabama."

Maude shook her head, "You're kidding! Like Alabama would ever agree. Any fool would see that as a prelude to a takeover. Alabama is a prize bitch but she's not stupid."

"I agree. Why Horst and Felipe would even suggest it speaks to how poorly they understand the players. From what I have observed Felipe has managed to isolate himself and it's affecting his perspective. He has lost his way." The other monarchs nodded. "All the more reason to make the move now before he realizes his error and has time to recover." Eric swung back to face Maude. "If confronted Pam will make clear that she is in support of any plan Horst wishes including the marriage. She'll tell him how disappointed she is in me and my obsession with Sookie Stackhouse. She'll say what she needs to. But if a tribunal orders the territory ceded back to Amun then her allegiance can travel with it."

Stan tented his fingers. "Northman, what if the tribunal decides not to kick out De Castro; what if the decision is to leave him with his territories? What then?"

"I'll challenge him and kill him," Eric said. The Viking observed the widened eyes as the group became more alert. "If I survive I will leave and head to Europe. That will create a vacuum and the states will revert back to your Clans. You will find yourselves much in the same place. There may be some fallout in terms of publicity. I would suggest the woman I used for Los Angeles to help spin any collateral damage. She has proven herself valuable. Pam has her contact information." He allowed those present time to absorb his statement. He looked to Russell, "In exchange I would ask one favor. If I survive I would ask that you release Sookie from her contract if that is her wish." Eric turned back to look out into the night. "I find I no longer wish to be parted from her," he said.

"Well that's good to hear, Eric, because I feel the same way about it," Sookie said from the door. Eric found that the room around him disappeared as she stepped forward. His arms opened and she stepped into them. He inhaled deeply then looked over her head to Thalia.

"Thalia," Eric inclined his head.

"North Man," she bowed back.

"I assume it is your blood that hides my own in my woman," he said.

"You are a fool, Viking," she growled.

"Yes, I am," he winked. Then his look became more sober. " I consider this as payment against any debt."

Thalia nodded. "Too slight for what is between us." Then she moved to stand to the side, her back against the wall.

Eric took Sookie's hand and led her to a chair. He sat next to her and then reached over and took her hand back in his own.

Maude smiled. In all her days she had never thought to see Eric Northman being so openly affectionate with anyone. She found herself checking the reactions of those around her table. Stan was looking uncomfortable but Russell and Bartlett were smiling in a more than indulgent way. It was as though they were taking some ownership of the situation.

"Did Isaiah pass through here?" Maude asked. Heads turned and moved in the negative. "No," Russell spoke up. "I haven't seen him yet tonight." Then he looked thoughtful. "Odd."

Maude nodded and walked through to a preparation area. She caught the eye of a Martha, a new server in the palace. "Martha, would you go see if you can find the Kentucky king? If he's not in his rooms ask Thomas, his second, if he would ask Isaiah to come talk with me." Maude turned to walk back to the kitchen then remembered something. "Oh, and Martha? I need you to locate Karin Slaughterer. No message. Just find out where she is and let me know?" The servant nodded and walked briskly back into the house.

Martha returned to the kitchen in time to hear Bartlett say, "Well, Princess Sookie, how are you finding Minnesota?"

Sookie looked away from Eric then. Her eyes were sparkling and she smiled. "I wish you wouldn't call me that! First of all it just sounds silly. All I can think of is how I grew up. If you knew a really big guy you'd call him 'Tiny' or if you knew someone who was kind of dim you'd call him 'Professor.' So when you call me 'Princess' all I can think is I must be looking like trailer trash."

Bartlett laughed out loud. Russell added, "You need to get used to hearing it. You have accepted your heritage. You are Brigant's heir and even if your people are no longer with us we honor them and their blood," and he toasted her.

Stan sat up and the sour expression on his face changed. "What do you mean?" he asked Russell.

But it was Sookie who answered. "Evening, Stan. It's been awhile. I think the last time we saw each other was that evening we spent at your home in Dallas. That sure was one hot time." Eric chuckled next to her. He knew that Sookie was remembering sucking the bullet from his chest.

Sookie smiled broadly towards the Texas king. "It hasn't been made common knowledge yet but I am part fairy. I am a great-great granddaughter to Niall Brigant."

"And his sole living heir," Bartlett added from across the table.

'Ahh," Stan said as if that answered something that was bothering him. "Now I understand." His whole expression changed and he became more relaxed in his chair. He turned to Eric, "Congratulations, Northman. Leave it to you to find a strong alliance in a beautiful package," and he bowed to Sookie.

Russell swirled the goblet in his fingers gently. "So Northman, what does de Castro think you're doing here?"

"He approved my visit to negotiate for more favorable rates on silica sand. With the planned expansion into natural gas and oil recovery I expressed a desire to improve expenses. "

Maude smiled. "I'm sure we can modify your current terms and conditions." They discussed the costs for the materials he was importing and the queen confirmed her willingness to offer the Viking preferred terms on sand.

Stan spoke up, "And if Sandy were to be named queen for Oklahoma?"

"Same deal would go for her," Maude confirmed.

"If all goes well and I was named king," Sookie's intake of breath was heard by everyone at the table. Eric turned to her and held her eyes. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it before continuing, "I would be developing similar operations in both Louisiana and Arkansas. I will return to confirm terms should that eventuality come to pass."

"Could we expect a favorable change in the freighting and harbor rates for Amun Clan using Louisiana ports?" Maude asked.

Eric grinned. "I'm sure that would be part of the agreement."

"Our existence would be much brighter if this all came to pass," Russell said. "And that depends on the proceedings in Nashville."

Bartlett looked around. "It would be helpful if Isaiah were here. He will have to host those who are asked to sit the tribunal. Any idea where he might be?"

Maude shook her head. "You know Isaiah. He can be… well…. Isaiah! I've sent someone to find him," and Maude smiled. But underneath her smile Maude was beginning to be worried.

It was agreed that most would travel home tomorrow night. For Stan there was much to prepare for the Zeus Summit. He was hosting this year in San Antonio. He would look for the tribunal request and do his best to influence his fellow Clan Council members on the representative to be chosen.

"Because if it is Felipe de Castro I will not be considered. He and I have some bad blood. I would think it most likely to be either Finn of Nebraska or Ralph of Kansas. Both are geographically closer and that counts for this kind of thing."

"Ralph?" Sookie asked. 'That's an odd name for a vampire."

"His name was Raffaelo. He is from Italy but he thought it easier to change it when he came here," Stan answered. "Like myself."

Bartlett rubbed his chin. "Ralph might be a problem. He was taken with Freyda and was not happy when she was ended. I suspect he'd support anything that would stab at Felipe but if Eric's emancipation comes with it he might fight it just to be difficult."

Stan nodded. "And Finn is a wild card. I've only met him a few times. He keeps to his circle. Isaiah is friendly with him."

Bartlett sighed. "Of course I'll send the requests to Narayana and Moshup tonight. With the state of things in Narayana who wants to bet that Robert makes another appearance."

Maude chuckled. "I still can't believe he did the deed in Los Angeles. He must be mightily pissed off. So I say it's a sucker's bet and I'll let it ride. He'll be there!"

Russell nodded. "I think you're right. And for Moshup? My bet is either Florida or the Carolinas. Georgia has been silent for too long. I think that their king may have lost himself in Savannah."

Maude chuckled. She looked at Sookie under an arched brow. "Folks today think that New Orleans is the most open city when it comes to vampires, but it's really Savannah. The residents there knew about Charles long before the Revelation, but they just kept it to themselves. They figured he was one of their own and they protected him."

Sookie smiled. "It is a wonderful thing being from the South."

Russell nodded. "It is indeed," he smiled back.

Bartlett rolled his eyes. "Talk about living in the past! You're in Yankee territory now. Show some of that Southern courtesy and get over yourselves!"

Sookie laughed out loud and her laughter was echoed around the table. "What about Amun?" she asked. "Who would be representing this Clan?" Eric smiled at her, his eyes widening. It had been many years since he had given her first lesson on vampire hierarchy. Her confidence filled him with pride.

"Oh, Phoebe Golden of Iowa," Bartlett volunteered. "I'll send the email tomorrow night. She's been expecting it."

Maude looked at Russell. "Will you be leaving as well?"

Russell shook his head. "With your permission I'd like to remain. Since Sookie is officially part of my retinue and I'm her primary contact it would be thought odd if she were here but not working on something in particular for you."

Maude nodded. She saw the quick look exchanged between Northman and the telepath. "I think that Eric should stay as well. We can all travel to Nashville together." It was quickly agreed and the conversation became more general.

Sookie beamed at Eric. Their happiness was infectious and soon everyone was sharing jokes and funny stories about mutual acquaintances and themselves. Maude found her eyes drawn to the sight of the couple; their blond heads close together as he whispered something in her ear. Sookie turned to him, her eyes crinkling in response pushing against his shoulder playfully. It was as though a light was around them.

Maude looked up to see Thalia watching her from the corner of the room. Her eyebrows were raised now and Maude understood the gesture to mean, '_See? There is something there; something more_.' Maude couldn't put her finger on it, but when she looked at the telepath and the Viking again her sense of wonder remained: There was something more.

Sookie and Eric didn't remain long. Sookie did eat something while the monarchs drank. Once the laughter had lulled the Viking had turned to Sookie. She was clearly answering a question he didn't need to ask and she placed her hand in his. He smiled as they stood, his arm easily finding its way around her waist. The telepath smiled warmly at each of them before the couple turned and walked away side by side. Maude found she couldn't stop watching them. She saw his face turn and look down at her raised smile as they turned the corner and then they were gone. She looked at her other guests and realized that each of them had the same bemused look; each had also been captured in some way.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When they reached the door of his room Eric looked at her; his eyes held a question. She reached out and turned the handle then walked in ahead of him answering what he asked. Once the door was closed he caught her and held her against him. She jumped up and he lifted her, his arms wrapped around her waist. He made sure she was high enough so that she could lay her cheek against his. He turned his head and buried his nose in the hollow just below her ear and inhaled. She smelled of that indescribable thing that made him think '_home_'. She wrapped her legs around him and he dropped one arm lower to secure her, turning his nose back to her neck and rubbing back and forth. Her scent; that unique scent that was his Sookie was sweeter than he remembered. He wondered if it was his new freedom that made her seem so welcome to him now.

He carried her to the bed and laid her on it. As he looked down at her he started unbuttoning his shirt. When her eyes widened he chuckled. "Seeing something you like lover?" He opened the sides and ran his hands up his torso, tweaking his own nipples before pulling the shirt from his shoulders and letting it drop.

"Damn, Eric. You are the sexiest man I have ever imagined. You should come with a warning label!" Sookie sat up and pulled the blouse over her head leaving all the buttons done.

"Anxious?" Eric laughed.

"Greedy!" she responded and pulled at her pants next. Eric stood back and watched her strip herself. She raced through and he found himself laughing. He placed his knee on the bed to help her untangle some hair that had caught itself in her bra hook as she'd tried to drag that off without unclasping it as well. While his hands plucked at the strands Sookie started to unfasten his pants.

Eric finished detaching the piece of clothing from her hair and then took her hands in his. "What happened earlier, lover? You were upset."

Sookie sat back, her nipples taut in the cool air of the room. She bit her lip a little. "It was a memory, Eric. A flashback. I have them once in a while."

Eric came forward on the bed and sat with his back propped against the headboard. He pulled her to him and then pulled a blanket to cover her. "Tell me Sookie. Tell me what you saw."

Sookie told him about how the house had triggered the memory. She told him about the event long ago. She found when she got to the part about what Sam did to her; how he had punished her she couldn't bring herself to say the words. Eric's arms gripped her more securely. "I can imagine what happened; what it is you can't say." Sookie nodded. Eric kissed her head then. "Know this my Sookie, that there is nothing that happens to the body that truly matters. It was a moment in time. The physical damage is gone. It is your soul that I love and I would love even if there were reminders painted in your flesh."

"Oh Eric, if you knew you wouldn't see me in the same way. I'm not sure that I see myself the same way anymore."

Above her Eric stilled. He remembered his own time from long ago. "It is natural to think that the scars that are inflicted are there for all to see but they are not. The experience is now a part of you. How much you allow it to define you is your choice. But know that there is nothing that was done to you that I would not understand. There is nothing that happened that would have meaning to me. You are no longer his; you are mine. And I am yours because you chose me." Sookie looked up at him then. His eyes were warm and she believed that he did understand. "Do you still choose me, Sookie?"

"Oh yes!" she said. She turned and pushed herself up so that she could kiss him. Her hands dropped to his pants again. Eric helped her, standing up beside the bed and allowing the pants to slip from his hips. He turned his head and gave her a sly look. He knew she'd been looking at his butt again. Sookie shrugged. "Sue me," she said.

As he turned to her Sookie felt something come over her. Eric could see her face become confused and then thoughtful. "What is it, Sookie? Another flashback?"

Sookie stood up then and she took his hand. She led him to the door that she knew would open to the deck that Maude had shown her earlier. Sookie could see the question on his face. They'd had sex outside before but not often. Sookie couldn't explain it herself, but she knew that she wanted him under the openness of the sky. She wanted to hear all of nature around her singing as she loved her Viking.

Sookie led Eric to one of the large chaise lounges and pushed him backwards so he was sitting. Then she put her knees on the seat, positioning herself so she was straddling his lap. As soon as her knees hit the cushion he brought his hands up to cage her. He traced his fingers along the lower plains of her shoulder blades, and then to her ribs. '_Still so thin_,' he thought as he followed the lines of her ribs to the soft weight of her breasts. He lifted one of her hands to his lips and kissed her open palm and then placed that same hand on his neck. He trailed his hands over her; his long fingers formed cradles to capture the weight of her breasts and he used his thumbnails to stroke and tease her nipples.

Sookie's breathing ratcheted. She leaned back just a little further and then arched her back to make sure that her breasts filled his hands. She brought her hand up to frame his face and she traced his jawline with her thumb. "Mine," she murmured.

"Yours," he said, and then turned his head and captured her thumb with his mouth first sucking and then nipping the meaty part of her pad. Sookie turned her thumb just a little and slid it along his teeth stopping to stroke the longer curve of each fang. The purr that was her reward seemed to vibrate through his chest.

Eric kept his eyes on Sookie's as he started to suck her thumb, drawing her digit in and then releasing it over and over, mimicking the movements of joining. His look was feral and she Sookie knew herself to be looking in the eyes of a predator. Eric leaned forward to capture her breast with his mouth. Sookie brought her hands down to grip his forearms. She used her elbows and arms to press her breasts forward. "Drink," she urged him. "Drink from me, Eric."

Eric slid his fangs into her breast. He was not as controlled tonight and Sookie felt a drop of blood flowing down her chest. When the air hit the moisture she felt her nipple tighten almost painfully

Sookie grabbed Eric's hair and tugged but he responded with a growl and released her. He stood up lifting them both, and then turning, set her down on the chair. He took her ankles and pulled her until she laid flat, her legs bent at the knees and her feet flat on the deck. He ran his hands up her legs stroking her thighs with feather touches going higher and higher and then bringing his thumbs to where her legs joined and he used his thumbs to outline and dip. He did not meet her eyes; instead his eyes seemed to be on everything else. Sookie felt that he was cataloguing her; memorizing every part. Sookie felt warm and beautiful and cherished within his gaze.

When she tried to sit up Eric placed a large hand in the middle of her stomach holding her down. He settled himself on his knees at the end of the chair. He pulled her body toward him, lifting her feet to rest on his thighs. "So beautiful," he whispered. "Watch me." Then he parted her with his fingers and he lowered his face. Sookie felt her heartbeat ratchet as he worshipped her with tongue and fingers. She reached for his hair but he captured her hands in one of his and held her captive. She bucked and cried out, her body arching as she sought her release. He turned his head then and she lost his eyes. She felt his bite again and it triggered the clenching of her walls around his fingers.

His head lay against her thigh and his fingers still thrust lazily in and out of her. He showed no sign of moving. She felt air moving over her and realized he was inhaling the scent of her. She loosed one of her hands and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Eric, please come to me," she begged.

"You smell like honey and sunshine my lover. I never want to be any further from you than this." He turned his head and moved towards her just enough to kiss and nip the skin of her thigh.

"Eric, if you are really thinking about walking around with your nose in my lady parts we are in for a lot of teasing" she said, and she tugged at him again. Eric rolled his head and then smiled up at her. He balanced his chin on his hand and Sookie smiled back, ruffling his hair. She looked at his mischievous face and she had a flash of a smaller version of this man, his hair all askew with sticky face and hands; a child. Her heart clenched and the vision was gone as her Eric's eyes darkened.

Eric glided forward covering her body with his own. He slipped one hand beneath her and took the other with him entwining their fingers and pinning her hand near her head. He nosed the space between her breasts inhaling deeply. He licked the trail of blood he had left earlier as he continued his journey towards her. "I am not sure that I can be gentle," he said his voice strangled.

Sookie reached down and found him and brought him to her entrance. "Good. I don't want you to be," she told him. And then she bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and drank from him. He roared and reared up entering her in one swift movement. It took everything in her to not gasp as she felt him filling her. Instead she sucked on the wound harder, drawing him into herself in every way.

Eric used his hand to raise her hips. He slid out of her and Sookie could see his eyes gleaming. "Mine!" he said and he pushed forward again. Sookie's breath came in short gasps as they found their rhythm. She let her head fall back so she could see him clearly. His eyes held hers; his eyes that watched and loved and demanded. "Come for me, Sookie," he growled. He leaned forward, the angle shifting. He slashed a gash on his chest with his fingernail and brought her lips to him. As she drank she could feel herself coming apart. When he turned his head and sank his fangs into her neck, the overwhelming feeling of having him in her and on her and taking from her had her flying on the crest of an endless wave. When she felt the wound close she let her head fall back, her eyes open. Eric was still, his head resting against her shoulder; his arm wrapped around her. Sookie saw a star shooting across the dark sky. '_I know how you feel_,' she thought.


End file.
